#or if that just shows as a trait because I have them all wearing golden skulls?

[vivacia-18]

Just found out Cult of the Lamb got an update.... thanks to an authoer mentioning it on a fic I'm reading right now X'DD

Ngl usually I don't care for updates after I've finished a game, but this one seems to be an exception for me on all fronts, so I've had a pretty fun evening indulging in sins of the flesh lol.

Cutest thing was trying the fancy tent out for the first time and finding out Narinder straight up had a lover - and its one of the followers I've had since like the beginning that I just kept reviving. Love the implications of that and I am so giving them a golden skull necklace <3

[bailadeluna]

there’s something so brilliant in cooper howard’s costume design - it’s so much more than just a simple blue and gold cowboy fit.

at the beginning of the show, before the bombs dropped, cooper howard was a good person - always kind to others despite the circumstances or how he was feeling in the moment.

you could say… he was exemplifying the golden rule.

this is evident in his costuming - cooper is decked out in gold even when the bombs dropped. the golden rule is still so close to his heart - i mean come on - look at how tight that bandana is around his neck.

even in certain lighting, his hat looks gold.

cooper howard being a good person and living by the golden rule is what barb probably fell in love with (she has her own interesting character analysis and thought process which i would love to discuss later). because this trait is so admired by her and those around cooper, she probably saw him as who she would hope future generations would become as they grow up in the vaults. people like him are the better future she envisions - so it’s no coincidence that the vault suit is in his colors.

what does the blue symbolize?

well, to me, i think it’s the corporate presence in the world. there’s more blue in the suit than there is gold - hinting at vaultech’s corporate greed, capitalism, and evil machinations. (there was also blue in his old cowboy costume - i.e. the presence of the studio and how they use cooper to push a mccarthyism narrative. kinda in the same way vaultech will use him)

the blue in the suit - symbolizing vaultech’s overwhelming presence and the reason for such a bleak and cruel world - does not swallow up the gold - the small semblance of humanity’s capacity to do and be good. it’s the small hint at barb’s intentions (analogous to the road to hell being paved with good intentions).

yet the man who was an inspiration for vaultech’s workers - the man who they all wished they could be like, the man who symbolized all the “do good” ideas they pass down to their children but in the end have no intention of following them (wink wink, looking at you, hank) - was in the end stripped of all his humanity by the world vaultech created (wow, would you look at that? another analogy for capitalism!)

this man, once rich in morals now robbed of them all, wanders the wasteland a ghoul. everything has been taken from him - symbolized being devoid of layers of skin.

now, he’s nothing but the ghost of the man he once was - haunted by what has been done. everything he wears as the ghoul is frayed, tattered, and dark - symbolizing that cooper howard, that kind and caring man before the bombs is dead.

but wait - is that…

you don’t see it? Ok, i’ll zoom in some more

GOLD? (perhaps even the same shirt he was wearing during the bomb drop??)

perhaps the golden rule, those values that he once held so dearly, are still there just dormant - waiting to be awaken again.

maybe cooper howard can come back… that just maybe there’s still hope for the good in humanity…

[threepandas]

Bad End: Hidden Heir

Next ->

The Duke's family had very distinct eyes. It was genetic. An aggressively dominant trait at that, though it tended to die off, after a few generations out of the family. Supposedly a "blessing of the Gods". Spring to be exact. Bounty and luck. And the family certainly WAS bountiful.

In all the best and worst ways.

Wealth, corruption, children and bastards. It was a family so aggressively ALIVE, it could only be Spring's blessing that made them so. Pouring mania and madness into their veins like sweet sunlight. Whispering glory and riches, into power addled ears. They burst with life. Even as they endlessly destroyed themselves.

They were fictional.

Fascinating set dressings, for the stage play of someone else's story. Unimportant beyond their role in world building. As the origin story and power base of a character lead.

The Story ITSELF didn't even occur here. But rather, in the capital. Where the players of significance had gathered.

And I? Oh I was some minor antagonist, so insignificant to the plot, I genuinely could not remember which of seven different women I actually WAS. It had been an ongoing series. Otome Isekai. Reverse harem.

And I was either in the ORIGINAL original novel, the isekai'd plot novel, the anime adaption, OR a horrifying fever dream. My memory was largely useless. But? I did remember the characters. The archetypes.

And the fact, that the author had clearly been going though a Yandere phase.

My region of the Reverse Harem collect-o-thon? Horrifying! Red flags everywhere! No one here should date, leave room for fantasy Jesus, have we considered the joys of being a NUN? Yes. Yes I HAVE thought about it.

I was pretty sure I'd never make it. End up dead or captured by some sort of Nun Yandere. Or God Yandere. Possibly both. Assuming the bandit yanderes don't get me first. It... it was very stressful, living here.

Luckily? I knew when I could leave.

Or so I thought.

Because my house? The Dukedom? Had the "yandere butler who is secretly an heir." Who starts out with loyal dog behavior. A little highly possesive master and servant play. Then rises to become a Duke. Presumably? That is when I die. Or am disowned.

Death is most likely. Since my role was "minor antagonist" and I was to be mean to the sweet, earnest, Harem possessing Protagonist. Don't see WHY I would. Live and let live. Good for her etc etc. But regardless? Best to avoid, just in case.

The problem? Who do you think Mr Illegitimate Heir serves before she gets here? The OTHER possible heirs? Of course not! They'd "oops! Hunting accident~☆" him in a heart beat. Father isn't stupid. And my sisters? Issues. Violent, violent, issues.

He ends up with ME.

Father, WHY.

Obviously, I ignore him. I see nothing. I hear nothing. There is no war in Ba Sing Se. Mmmmm, tea. Good book. Ignore his creepy staring. His creepy, creepy staring.

Thankfully? I never really ran out of Totally Legitimate reasons to send him away to learn or do something. Proper tea making. Door maintenance. Eastern embroidery. Something, anything, and off you go! Bye bye~☆!

Unfortunately. He got faster. Better and better at learning. Mastering skills. Coming BACK. Showing up to stand in the corner, silent and looming, like an omen of death. Those damn eyes. The fucking family eyes!

I don't have them. And NOT as, my Father would have me believe, because I "take after my Mother". But because I am not genetically related to the Duke. I have GOLD eyes. When I wear the right shade of green? I pass. So I am condemned to forever wear green. Don't even really like it much. But?

I am pretty damn sure? I was just... pretty.

A lovely, orphaned, golden eyed child that COULD pass as his. So why not? It was a whim that payed off. Unlike in the original stories, I imagine. Since I am by FAR the best behaved child in this entire house. Ha! Suck it, bio-kids, the adopted one's the favorite! Maybe should have been less lil bitchs.

....I carefully do not say.

Those are INSIDE thoughts.

Fuck. He's still LOOMING. Isn't he? Go awaaaaaay. Where is Protag-chan? Come be doe eyed and busty! Trip adorably! Go "kyaaa~" or something! I feel body heat and freeze. He's leaning over my shoulder to pick up the teapot, pour me another cup. I can FEEL the barest graze of his knuckles against my back, from where he's gripped my chair. The smell of his aftershave almost hauntingly pleasant.

Like he KNEW exactly what smells I liked most. Went out of his way to find one that best suited my preference. Coincidence. Please, PLEASE be a coincidence! I do not turn my head. Keep my eyes locked straight ahead. Barely breathing.

He steps back.

The new pot is sharp and herbal. Almost bitter. I force myself to drink. Can't see a sugar dish, and REFUSE to turn around and ask for one. Ignore. IGNORE. My pounding heart calms. My muscles slowly start to relax.

It... it IS weird, though, now that I think about it? That Protag-chan hasn't reached the Dukedom yet. She should have. God only knows I sent Creepy to the capital enough times, with enough highly specific instructions, that he should've had his meet cute's and dates by the dozen. Been half way in love. So... why...?

Huh.

Dizzy.

The taste of tea sits wrong on my tounge. I stop drinking as the world sways. Letting the cup fall from my hand. Splatter, roll, and shatter. I try desperately to stand. A gentle gloved hand catches my elbow, supporting me. I turn. Giddy eyes. Triumphant, wide, spring green eyes. Too green to be gold, too gold to be green.

An almost cruel, mocking, yet loving grin.

Another hand slides around my waist, braces me against his side. Gleeful little murmurs, too pleased to be reassuring. You. You did this! You DRUGGED ME!

I can barely move, body relaxing against my command, going limp, as he draws me close. Presses his face against the side of my head, against my temple. A deep, shuddering breathe, that he savors like wine. I try to pull free but can not. Feel his lips pull into a vicious grin against my skin. Hands begin to run in gentle, claiming, exploration.

And at last the drugs kick in... the wo..rld..

G..oes..

Dar..k........

[jedineedlove]

LMK VS Legend

The Guardians of Knowledge

I know that in the show these two are just call the guardians of knowledge,but after an interesting find I THINK I know who that actually are and if this is true it might make season 5 more interesting or not be effected based on the shows perspective, hope you enjoy.

LMK:

In the show these two dont get much screen time they are not given names either. They act as both guardians and keepers of knowledge. They have the physical and vibe of a celestial being. But they actually seem to be more librarians they say that knowledge is for everyone you just need a card. (Hilarious)

Their home the cloud seeming to be a magical /technological connected place out in a desert it’s very hard to tell its location the cloud glitch and the place has a lot of sand around.

These two look like giants but don’t have the size they have the coloring of demons but no horn or fangs but they could be hiding it. They wear what seems to be celestial armor but Azure wore some two along with Peng and Tusk. so there demos that wore them if they worked for the celestial realm.

Legend:

Who, I think these two are actually interesting I think they are Qiānlǐyǎn (Thousand-Mile Eyes), and Shùnfēng’ěr (Wind-Following Ears).

Does this seem similar to anyone?

It's very similar to the door of the cloud. Two brothers in a special pose holding golden weapons and wearing golden clothes, One is red while the other is green. "One is usually depicted as a green demon with large all-seeing eyes. He keeps a weather eye on the horizon, scouring the sea for sailors in need of the sea goddess’s assistance." that is the main physcill description of each of them. They don't wear the right headband but that could be explained because the image of the statue is from Taiwan, not China The two are normally depicted wearing "flowing clothing or open armor to show off their muscular physiques. Apart from their divine sashes, they are commonly shown wearing golden armbands, bracelets, and/or anklets, as well as a tiger skin at the waist." These traits appear to be consistent with all other examples I've seen. Some of these missing parts could been the show's decision. Remember I'm just speculation not stating.

Qianliyan is a Chinese sea and door god. He usually appears with Shunfeng'er as a guardian of the temples of the sea goddess Mazu. Qianliyan's sharp vision is employed to help protect sailors at night and during fog and other inclement weather.[12] In some accounts, he is capable of seeing everything in the world. Qianliyan typically appears as a green-skinned demon shielding his eyes from the sun's glare.

Shùnfēng’ěrThe god's role in helping sailors distinguish favorable winds also prompts the translations "Fair-Wind Ears"[3] and "Favorable-Wind Ears" In some accounts, he is capable of hearing everything in the world, no matter how quietly spoken, and was therefore also worshipped as a witness and guarantor of oaths and contracts. Shunfeng'er typically appears as a red- or brown-skinned demon cupping a hand to one of his ears.

Both demons depicted in art have a hand raised to a part of their heads or faces which is also similar to the Guardians of Knowledge Door mural.

History:

The brothers "Thousand-Miles Eye in the disguise of a lovely girl, lures men into a cave and then devours them. When With-the-Wind Ear sees this, he starts a fight with Thousand-Miles Eye, but in the end the two monsters pledge to become sworn brothers. Guanyin, seated on Mount Potala, orders the Dragon’s Daughter to tell Mazu to subdue the monsters. With the heavenly warriors helping her, she was able to defeat the two. After that, the two become her loyal servants. First, they help Mazu fight a man-eating lion, and subdue the Evil Dragon Monster Later down the timeline of their legend they would reach the JTTW.

JTTW:

That's right these two were in the JTTW you might have recognized their names in the being for t eJTTW readers if you remember them great for those who don't they were the ones that announced Wukong or just Stone Monkey at the time of birth they were sent by the Jade Emperor to find out why his place got set on fire from two laser beams. They are depicted as personifications of the Jade Emperor himselfs' own hearing and sight. That was why I was saying it would maybe be entering in season 5 if the Jade Emperor is gone and they are a part of him does that mean that they're gone?

But then again the show might not have gone that route they have changed a lot of the mythology of the original novel. They could have changed that as well I could not see the Jade Emperor personification of two of his senses living on the mortal plane and as kind-loving librarians or ones that play video games.

Notes:

That along with their origins and roles originally based around the sea why in a Desert and Why Librarians, I could see the show editors taking more of the JTTW versions and seeing the beings that personified ears and eyes they must be involved in knowledge right. They can see and hear everything in the world they must be knowledge-based beings.

Also, everyone else in the show so far has some sort of JTTW connection somewhere. The two must follow that formula.

But if I'm right then these two were literally the first ones to see newly hatched Wukong. So many questions.

Thank you

Hope you enjoyed :)

PS: how I thought of this well I was watching VR gameplay of

The Pirate Queen: A Forgotten Legend

And I saw the red and green statues of the two demons and thought "WAIT............ Hold up.........deja vu ......is that you?!"

[this-aint-massachusetts]

more FNaF hcs because the tism™️ is telling me to info dump

sorry if some of these are the same as the last one I forget which ones I put before 🙁

-When Mike was chasing after the car he tripped scraped his knee broke his ankle and busted his kneecap and just gave up on life right then and there

-Mike smokes weed but he could take the tiniest tinniest hit of a bong and he’d cough up a lung so he just mainly sticks to blunts or bowls

-Abby has called 911 multiple times because she wanted to contact Vanessa but it obviously didn’t work. 

-Vanessa used to dye her hair fun colors but she can’t anymore cuz of her job but she wears colorful extensions 

-Abby’s therapist has tried so hard to hint at Mike that he should get an autism diagnosis because his sister has one and he still hasn’t picked up on it despite showing clear traits of autism 

-When golden Freddy and Abby left the cab he just handed Cory a piece of paper with ‘one million dollars’ scribbled on it in green crayon. Cory was to scared to say no he just was like “yeah ok sure” and then cried 

-Mike and Abby did not go to Aunt Janes funeral they instead went to Dave and Busters and played arcade games while their entire extended family blew up Mikes Nokia phone

-Aunt Jane was a “wine mom” and was in heavy denial of being an alcoholic 

-Abby really likes bugs and puts them in her pockets but Mike is terrified of bugs so he freaks out whenever he sees them crawling on her or in her laundry 

-Vanessa apologizes to people while arresting them

-The animatronics consider the cupcake to be their puppy and get confused when people think he’s a menace

-One time Doug ran into Mike and Abby at Walmart once and he just threw his thick ass lawyer wallet at then then ran away to have a panic attack. Mike and Abby bought a blow up pool that day

-Doug had to go to therapy due to Aunt Jane being an absolute fucking Karen

-Doug’s now a regular at Sparkys and is besties with Ness, he considers Ness “The son he never had”

-Bonnie kid (Jeremy) really liked Spider-Man

-Vanessa has a pitbull named Princess that she took home from an animal control call. (The dog is a fucking danger to society)

-Abby picked up on some 80s slang from the animatronics and now just says radical to everything 

-Max and her friends would be doing TikTok trends before TikTok was even a thing (stealing soap dispensers from public bathrooms, sticking pennies in electrical sockets ect)

-Vanessa is a Disney adult/hj

-There’s a rubix cube in the pizzeria that the animatronics have been trying to solve since they’ve been dead basically 

-Every night after Abby goes to bed Mike goes to the kitchen and eats shredded cheese by the handful. Abby caught him once and he cried.

-Mike is the type of person to ask those weird questions while watching movies, like: “If their underwater how are they drinking soda?”

-Mike would stuff all his emotions and feelings down till he bursts and it usually results in him locking himself in his room while having a panic attack

-Max was also a weed dealer so Mikes out of a babysitter and a plug. 

-Vanessa hates soda, loves tea tho

-Mike really likes the Care Bears and uses Abby as an excuse for liking it

-Ness uses those really cheesy pet names for Mike, some of them southern originated because I believe in southern Ness solidarity. Ex: Sweetie pie, Sugar, Doe

-Abby is really good at hide and seek but caused Mike a few panic attacks because of how well she hides

-After Freddy’s neither Mike or Abby could sleep without a nightlight so she lent Mike hers on the agreement she could sleep in his room with him. (He of course accepted)

-Mike: Where’s my Diet Coke?

Vanessa: Oh I threw it away, sodas not good for you.

Mike: Oh ok- WHAT.

-Abby still asks Mike to tie her shoes for her even though he already taught her how to tie them herself

-Mike has a very particular morning routine that he has to follow every morning and feels icky if it gets interrupted for any reason 

-Mike is more noise sensitive and Abby is more texture sensitive but Mike still hates certain textures (ex: olives)

-Mike has considered owning chickens and even went with Abby to look at little chicks but she soon started sneezing and feeling sick and that's when they found out she's allergic so that quickly got shut down

-Abby gives her stuffed animals lore and hierarchies and Ness is always asking her about it when her and Mike go into the diner

-Vanessa Has a very minimalist style not because she likes it but because she's scared of getting attached to anything she calls home which at times worries her when she's with Mike, Abby and Ness. This results in her sitting in bed, chewing on her lip thinking of constant escape plans and emergency exits in case her father ever returns, if something bad happens, etc.

-Mike likes seeing Abby draw him and pretends not to notice when she stares and tries to get the color of his shirt just right (he buys clothing in colors she has to make it easier)

-Abby is the type to point out cows and horses and will repeatedly kick Mike's seat even while he's driving until he acknowledges them

-Abby doesn’t understand why her and Mike can’t just print more money to make them rich and Mike has had to explain to to her 12837383838 times

-Ness is a theater kid (yeah if you didn’t see this coming I think you need glasses)

-Ness and Mike play lps with Abby, Abby explains all of her lps lore extensively and Ness listens to every bit of it while Mike is just like: “I love you both but wtf”

-Mike sometimes age regresses sometimes when put under pressure and Ness is literally the best caretaker ever (this one’s based on a Dreamtheory fic I read once and I fell in love with the idea)

-Ness and Mike call each other every night before going to sleep and once Mike forgot so he woke up the next morning to 300+ voicemails from Ness asking if he’s ok

okay that’s all i have for now I’ll post more later when i feel like it oki byeee 😘✌️

[snarky-art]

bbyyyy SOTLK dresses redesign?

These were actually really interesting to work with, both in trying to keep colors and shapes from the original dresses combined with adding my own lore to it! Except for Aisha’s which wounded my so. I really wanted to keep her flowers but I just,, couldn’t get it to look right🥲 I added purple instead tho which is the color of the flower of andros, which is similar in appearance to a Camas Lily. They bloom in lush expansions all along the coast of the land of Androsia, where the mainland and sands meet.

More info on outfits below!

Musa: Tang dynasty influence. Did my best to keep some of the shapes from the og gown. The 2 red dots that I’ve featured a few times in either side of Musa’s mouth in different designs represent loudness and boldness and are commonly used symbols in a lot of melody, which are traits one would want to represent when holding as representation for the different cultures of Melody, proud of their heritage and great unbending will.

Aisha: mentioned some above about the purple additions to be the substitutes for actual flowers. Kept the split down the middle at the dress itself, just changed its length and shape, trying to keep the shape of the original one some with the purple bits below the corset tho

Tried to keep more true greens than teals too. She deserves more sleek satin fits also. Most of the stuff I draw her in I imagine there’s satin I just decided to do shading this time lol

Tecna: I decided before even designing this I wanted to keep that jacket on them at all costs. Happy with the shapes overall here and really love the colors. Probably my favorite of these looks. Shiny pants and silk featured because they look good on them. To me, they aren’t Tecna if they don’t have some weird heels too.

Flora: probably my least favorite design just because I feel like I need to get better at giving them more variety in their outfits, but I did what I could to keep a lot of the shapes present. Instead of those 2 long flower strands, I just had them replaced with the split full of flowers down the side.

Bloom: empire waistlines are very much the norm in Dominion fashion with not as many ruffles or as expanded a gown shape as featured here, but Bloom is new to this and her parents wanted her to be as comfortable as possible for the celebration. Bloom got to have direct input on the adjustments to the dress and is living the princess dream she’s always wanted currently. She intentionally looks a little awakward as a result, the stylists doing what they could to accommodate what she wanted and mesh it with traditional Dominion fashion styles to reiterate that Domino is what she represents. The slightly more formal front hairpiece with the additional 2 gold curls is present to make the statement that Domino is so back and Bloom is even wearing the golden headpiece that the heir wears to show this. It’s not until after the party she learns it was Daphne’s, and that leads to some Insecurities and the reality of what reviving Domino actually means for Bloom. More spirals coming in waves after this point. As always with Dominion garb the cyan gems are for those of the royal family and purples are for those that work with The Dragon Flame.

Stella: by this point in the story, Stella really starts to get more involved with Lunarian stuff and connect with her moon culture. It starts small in her presentation, with certain cuts of cloth (the slope of the fabric on the top part of the skirt) and the style of some of her jewelry, specifically the one with gems that is tilted to match the fabric shape and the incorporation of more blue gems. She also stops straightening her hair all the time (her hair is blonde from her mother, whom is Lunarian, but the saturation comes from her Solarian genetics, making the color look like it’s from Solarian genetics. Straightening it to match the majority of Solarian hair was a sure way to make sure she passed as Solarian until someone notices her pupils, which are Lunarian. She no longer fears if she’s passing or not. She is learning to take pride in her moon side).

Stella choosing to have the little blue gems on the bottom of her gold gem dress bit instead of gold or more orange is a bold move also she is starting her proper journey to doing joint work and advocating properly for systemic change for Lunaria.

[thebunnednun]

Hi there! Can I get a Sabo x strawhat pirate reader please? Thank you 😊

Gone Fishing! Sabo x Sea creature Straw-Hat! Reader (Part 1)

I found the art right here.

5/26/2024

I am so sorry this took so long but I wanted something sweet and Cute for our Steam punk King! I really hope you like it!

This was a request from my Follower Fridays! If you have a character or story in mind, go ahead and ask because my requests are open!

I freaking love this little cutie and I wanna write more beach themed OP stories, it's the perfect anime for this troupe for crying out loud!

Fun fact: According to Google, Sabos fav food is ramen, like Narutos.

Okay, ON WITH THE SHOW!~

______________________________________________________________

The sun shone brightly over the sparkling waves, casting a golden glow on the sandy shores of the island. The Straw Hat Pirates had anchored their ship nearby and were eagerly preparing for a day of fun and relaxation at the beach. Excitement buzzed in the air as they set up umbrellas, spread out towels, and unpacked their picnic baskets.

Luffy, as usual, was the most enthusiastic, racing towards the water with a delighted shout. "Beach day, beach day! Come on, everyone!"

Nami rolled her eyes but smiled, watching him with fondness. "Luffy, slow down! You're going to wear yourself out before the day even starts."

“Like that’s even possible,” Zoro muttered, already dozing under an umbrella, one eye half-open as he kept an eye on his surroundings. A half-drunk sake bottle was at his feet as Brook was trying to apply sunscreen to avoid cooking his bones.

Franky, Usopp, and Chopper were busy building an elaborate sandcastle, while Jinbe and Sanji were setting up a grill for a seaside barbecue. Robin sat nearby, reading a book with a serene smile on her face, and Nami joined her for some relaxation.

Among the crew was [Name], the newest addition to the Straw Hat crew. You had met Luffy when you saved him from drowning, and he insisted you come along on the adventure. You didn’t know where you came from, but you were something of a fishwoman or mermaid, equipped with a unique blend of human and fish traits. You had shimmering scales along your arms and legs, and your hair had a subtle, iridescent sheen that caught the sunlight beautifully.

You were used to life underwater and always felt at home by the water, and today was no different. You were gathering seashells just under the shore with Ace walking beside you when Luffy bounded up, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Hey, [Name], did you know my brother likes you?" Luffy said with a wide grin.

[Name] felt her cheeks warm at the mention of Sabo. You had always admired the Revolutionary and his kind heart. "Really? Are you sure, Luffy?"

Luffy nodded vigorously. "Yep! Nami, didn't I tell you Sabo likes [Name]?"

Nami, who was lounging under an umbrella with a cool drink in hand, nodded with a knowing smile. "You did, Luffy. But you should let them figure it out on their own."

Before [Name] could respond, a familiar voice called out from the edge of the beach.

"Luffy! [Name]! Over here!"

Sabo was waving from a small pier a short distance away. He looked every bit the dashing hero with his blond hair tousled by the sea breeze and his trademark pipe slung casually over his shoulder. He was wearing a blue Hawaiian shirt adorned with red flowers, all the buttons open, revealing his toned chest and abs. The sight made [Name]'s heart flutter. Luffy nudged [Name] forward.

"Go on! Go fishing with him!"

With a nervous yet excited smile, [Name] made her way to the pier. Sabo helped her to the edge, his touch sending a pleasant tingle through her. "I'm glad you came," he said, his voice warm. "I thought we could catch some fish for the barbecue."

"Sounds like a plan," [Name] replied, feeling her nerves settle. "It's been a while since I've gone fishing."

As they set up shop, the rest of the crew continued their antics on the beach. Usopp and Chopper were now engaged in a heated crab race, with Chopper cheering on his tiny racer. Zoro had fallen asleep and was snoring loudly, much to Nami's amusement. Ace and Luffy were now engaged in a serious wrestling match with Sanji yelling for them to watch out for the grill.

"Careful, Sanji, or you'll get a sunburn," Nami teased.

Back on the pier, [Name] and Sabo cast their lines and settled into a comfortable silence. The sun's warm rays and the sound of the waves created a peaceful atmosphere. [Name] couldn't help but steal glances at Sabo, admiring his calm demeanor and handsome features. His shirt flapped open in the breeze, giving glimpses of his muscled chest and making her heart skip a beat.

'I can't believe I'm here with Sabo. He's always been so kind and brave. And that shirt... why did he have to wear it like that? How am I supposed to focus on fishing when he looks like that?'

[Name] bit her lip, trying to keep her mind from wandering too far. 'Get it together, [Name]. You're here to fish, not to ogle Sabo.'

"You know," Sabo began, breaking the silence, "Luffy's always talking about his adventures with you guys. He really loves his crew."

"We love him too," [Name] replied, smiling. "He's more than just our captain; he's our family."

Sabo nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same with me and the Revolutionaries. We fight for a cause, but it's the bonds we share that keep us going."

[Name] looked at Sabo, feeling a connection forming between them. "It must be hard, though, being away from family for so long."

"It is," Sabo admitted. "But knowing that Luffy is out here, living his dream, makes it easier. And meeting people like you, who care about him so much... it means a lot."

[Name] blushed, looking down at her fishing line. "I care about him a lot. And... I've always admired you, Sabo. The way you fight for what's right, it's inspiring."

Sabo's eyes softened as he looked at her. "Thank you, [Name]. That means a lot coming from you. I've heard so many good things about you from Luffy and the crew. I can see why they speak so highly of you."

Before [Name] could respond, there was a sharp tug on her line. "I think I've got something!" she exclaimed, pulling with all her might. Sabo leaned over to help, but in the excitement, he lost his balance and tumbled overboard with a splash.

"Sabo!" [Name] cried, leaning over the side of the pier.

Luffy, always alert to his brother's safety, saw what happened and immediately ran onto the pier before he dove into the water. "Hang on, Sabo!"

“LUFFY, YOU CAN’T SWIM!” Next thing you knew, Ace had run past you to jump in after his little brothers.

This, of course, prompted Zoro to wake up and, without a second thought, leap into the water as well. "Luffy, you idiot! Wait!"

This, of course, prompted Zoro to wake up and, without a second thought, leap into the water as well. "Luffy, you idiot! Wait!"

Chopper and Usopp, seeing the commotion, rushed to the water's edge, trying to grab hold of Luffy and Zoro. Jinbe and Nami, meanwhile, started shouting at the chaos unfolding before them. Franky caught a wild elbow to the face and accidentally brought Usopp down with him. You held onto Chopper before he could jump in and get squished in all the chaos.

"Stop it, all of you!" Nami yelled, waving her arms. "You're going to drown each other!"

"Calm down, everyone!" Jinbe boomed, though there was a hint of amusement in his voice. Brook was now chuckling, “I would lend you a hand but—”

“They’d knock your old bag of bones out.”

“Please, [Name], these jokes are all I have left!”

Robin, watching the scene with a chuckle, used her powers to create a giant hand that tossed inflatable lifeboats towards the struggling pirates. "Here, catch!" Handing off Chopper to Robin, you jumped in to make sure no one drowned in the three feet of water below.

You tossed Luffy and Ace into the same floaty while Franky helped pull them to shore, and Usopp managed to get Zoro to the beach before Moss-head caused you all to spend five years searching for his directionally challenged ass.

You quickly swam over to Sabo, your sea creature agility allowing you to reach him in no time. You helped him into the inflatable boat, securing him safely. "Are you okay?" you asked, concern evident in your eyes.

Sabo coughed but smiled gratefully.

"Thanks to you, [Name]."

Using your powerful fins, you zipped around the boat, creating a fun and exhilarating ride for Sabo. The two of you laughed, the earlier mishap forgotten as you enjoyed the thrill of the water.

Back on the beach, the rest of the crew managed to untangle themselves and climb back to shore, dripping wet and laughing. Jinbe and Nami were still scolding them, but there was a note of fondness in their voices.

"You all are impossible," Nami sighed, shaking her head with a smile. "Honestly, it's like looking after a bunch of kids."

"We're sorry."

As the sun began to set, the Straw Hat Pirates gathered around the grill, enjoying the fresh fish that you and Sabo had caught. You offered a seashell to Sanji in thanks, and he promised to cherish it forever. The air was filled with laughter and the smell of delicious food.

Taking your plate, you sat next to Sabo, your shoulders touching. You felt a warmth in your heart that had nothing to do with the sun. Today had been perfect, chaos and all.

'Why does my heart feel like it's going to burst every time he smiles at me?' [Name] thought, sneaking another glance at Sabo.

'I’ve admired her for so long, and now here we are, sharing smoked salmon with ramen.'

'He’s so close, and I can feel the warmth from his skin. '

'I wish this day would never end.'

"Thank you for today," Sabo said softly, his eyes meeting yours. "I had a great time."

"Me too," you replied, your smile bright. "Maybe we can do it again sometime?"

Sabo's grin widened. "I'd like that very much."

'Her eyes are so kind. I can't believe she actually wants to spend more time with me. Maybe... maybe she does like me. Could Luffy have been right?'

“Why don’t you dorks just shut up and kiss already?”

“SHUT UP, ACE!” you and Sabo shouted in unison, both of you blushing furiously.

Sabo chuckled, the sound sending a pleasant shiver down your spine. "Ignore him," he said, giving your hand a gentle squeeze. "Let's just enjoy the evening."

As the stars began to twinkle in the night sky, you and Sabo sat together, surrounded by your friends and the soothing sounds of the ocean. Your heart felt full, and you knew that this day would be one you'd cherish forever.

______________________________________________________________

Part 2 now posted.

Make sure you check out the a03 account by the same name. I also have a Sabo x Marine! Reader posted in the masterlist! Give it a read if you please!

Be sure to check out my other works and leave likes and comments, they really help. Drop a follow as well if you please. Don't be shy to leave me a little reblog if you want.

I promise I bite~

Don't be shy, send me your requests, I wanna write lots this weekend!

Seen you soon my loves!!~ <<33

[gotafewtricks]

Thinking of a Dog!reader, they have dog ears and a tail, and they act exactly like the type of dog they are. Like a golden retriever is happy or how a Saint Bernard is lazy, you know? Just thought it'd be funny with genji having someone like that 😭

★ Bark bark (... literally)

I personally love these silly requests like this, because they have me think more creatively :3 I may not do it aboslute justice, but gosh... I love dogs <3

With you having these dog-like traits, Genji, in general, would note a mental comment on your appearance; but woukd not push not pressure you about it. You were still a person, and no matter how you had such cute ears and a fluffy tail, the ninja was in no place to judge. He would have some strange (yet, somewhat valid) questions about your anatomy—are you colourblind? Do you eat dog food? Can you bark?

No matter how you responded to him, he would be sitting with you; nodding his head affirmatively with each of your statements. Please tell Genji that he's merely being curious, and to also set boundaries with him, if a topic is too much for you. Making you uncomfortable was something he'd hate to ever hear. He would do his very best to help you accommodate towards things as well, if you do need the assistance.

Along with different dog breeds, I'd like to imagine he'd have the most fun with... maybe a Shiba Inu, Chihuahua, or a golden retriever?

The Shiba Inu is a rather iconic pick, plus, fitting for Genji—considering its place of origin. At first, judging by the looks of your animalistic features, he would try to guess what breed you were at first—then, ultimately settled on you being a Shiba, as he saw your personality unfurl. Plus, that curled up tail gave it all away. Your confident yet more reserved, cat-like demeanor amused the ninja; as he was then excited ro see what you'll do next.

With being friends together, Genji would like the refreshing change of pace that was brought by your attitude—loyal and compassionate, whilst still being individually independent. You'd often hang out with him whenever he is practicing his blade, considering that's what he often-time does in his free hours, anyways. You'd give him a pleasant surprise if you showed off your escape artist skills; able to somehow contort yourself around various, high-scalling nooks and crannies. Genji would joke that you were a better ninja than he was!

If the two of you were to ever be in a relationship, Genji would love to feel his hands around the softness of your ears; smiling to himself, seeing how lovable you were. Even though you had so much energy, he knew keeping up such a big personality to-boot had to be exhuasting; he'd note. Based off of memes, he'd go get you random items—like, y'know that one meme where it's a Shiba, and its wearing a piece of bread? He would have very loving pet (haha get the joke haha get it) names, such as Doge. He'd apologize for how terrible he was at these types of things.

For a Chihuahua, he'd have fun with that one. Stereotyped for their small frame but big temper, he would make jokes about your height; comparing you to different objects, and ask if you could even reach them. Genji would open doors for you, since he'd "worry" that you were too short. Everytime you were to snap back at him, you could tell that he'd roll his eyes—adding that reaction as more ammunition that he could use against you, so that he could tease you further in the future.

He understands to take you seriously, and just because you happen to have a canine appearance, he knew you were still a person at heart; even if you acted like a little shit sometimes towards him. Genji is pretty used to being either around the same height as others, or relatively shorter, so he'd like to think of that as a win for him. If you were to challenge him to a fight, he'll say that you with your ankle-biting tactics may be the formidable enemy against his blade.

He knows how exhausting it must be to have such an attitude like that, and to be so cute, so, if you're uncomfortable with his teasing, please do tell him! He wants to know if he is ever pushing boundaries, and would rather you tell him if he is, rather than for him to accidentally upset and hurt you any further, if he has. Genji knows when to lay off if needed, and he will have more creative jokes, rather than just teasing you about your stature or supposed high ego—as he knows that there is far, far more to you than that.

With a golden retriever, he'd be pretty pleasantly surprised! I feel like Genji's a dog person (self-projection), and he has a soft spot for retrievers and labs! With how contagious your smile and energy was, he couldn't help but love the change of pace that he was getting, since often times, he would talk to people who would only have a sour, pessimistic view. Of which he understood, as he once fell into that hole too. Jealous of how people could be so easily idealistic about the world, he would've shunned those feelings, and felt uncomfortable with sharing. With his newfound enlightenment, he understood that peoples' intentions were not to be idealistic—but to put a positive spin on a rather harsh, sinking reality.

It might take him a minute to try and keep up with your pace, but know that if he were to ever get overwhelmed, he will tell you! He found it interesting that your tail would be swishing back and forth constantly, worried at first that you were trying to communicate something—as dogs communicate with all kinds of gestures, and a wagging tail does not equate to a happy puppy. Once he realized that you were just affectionate and loving naturally, he really understood!

Genji was one to not deny someone of their creative expression, and that is also their love language! Wether that maybe platonic or romantic, he will not take it the "wrong" way, as he has difficulties at times with processing his emotions. Don't be affaid to be all excited; he enjoys seeing you happy, and those ears of yours perk up—too!

... also have this 😭

[autisticrosewilson]

First of all, you have given me so much to work with, thank you so much. Second of all, I’m really glad you could see where I was going with Grant’s real test not actually being about killing Slade. Third of all, I absolutely love what you’ve suggested with the powers and I am currently designing met gala esque outfits for the trio and Tara’s specifically is really fun to play around with. I’ve been thinking to show they’re becoming more divine I’ll change their hair and eye colours but not their faces for the most part. I was drawing robin Jason with Natalia and decided he should have brown eyes and a crooked nose from breaking it as a kid but once he returns his eyes get weird (eg go blue and occasionally other colours), a patch of his hair went white and he lost all of his scars. Also, I think the closer they get to divinity I’m gonna draw cracks on their body that glow with their specific colours just to hammer home how they’re shedding their mortal forms.

With Tara being able to see the strings of fate, I though it’d be fun to give her a harp and then with Jason having the see no evil trait I thought it’d be fun to give him weighing scales since lady justice wears a blindfold. Idk what to give Grant though. I mean probably a weapon of some sort or maybe a Shepard’s crook that he can turn into a scythe to play into the sheep, wolf, Hunter thing.

With Jason and Tara’s splintering, I love the idea of them making fun of Grant for being the baby god. He hasn’t even had a cult yet, gosh he’s so young. Also them being besties just holds a special place in my heart.

And I just came up with this, of course they have parallels to the trinity but in universe rumours of their existence have been around much longer than Bruce, Clark and Diana. They’re the big three of the justice league but these guys are justice gods. So they start calling themselves the justice trinity but then people get confused about which trinity is which because the justice leagues’ trinity sounds awfully close to the justice gods’ trinity. The new all caste is certainly more distinctive branding but the point isn’t to be distinctive, it’s to be petty.

I'm so glad my unmedicated rambling helped!!! And I'm so excited for the outfits!!! I love when characters start becoming less and less human, when they're stuck in that uncanny valley spot of not quite human but not entirely Other, when they lose control and the cracks start to show...um I should probably give a warning for slight body horror elements. Not in the gore sense, in the "this body is not made of flesh and there is something divine clawing it's way out". Uh also there are teeth. Just. Teeth. I dipped into a little bit of cosmic horror at the end there because I wanted to cover my bases with mixed mythologies

Jason, with his defined splinters, is usually depicted with three faces in ancient texts. The Child, gaunt and dark colored, is said to appear before the downtrodden and impoverished. The few stories remaining tell of kindly people who give him an offering, and in exchange he reveals his true form, with his crown of golden ivy and beautiful strong wings to gift them bounties of food and water and riches. Other stories tell of not so kind encounters, where The Child witnesses an injustice - typically against women or children - and again reveals his true form, one with clawed hands and a mouth dripping with blood. Scholars argue what the wings looked like, but whichever All-Caste member annotated it before has compared their likeness to either a Robin or a Shrike.

There's also The Ghost, He appears young at first glance, but his hair is wirey and gray, his eyes milky and unseeing, in bloodied armor he greets the souls of the damned as they're delivered to him, and with scarred hands he wipes the tears of children taken too soon. Accounts of this face are few and far between, but all of them are entrenched in sorrow.

Finally there is The Soldier, scarred and still smoking from the ruins of battle he emerges, giving voice to the weak and resources to the needy. He champions revolutionaries and philosophers first, a strategist who delights in the liberation of the people from corrupt systems. Accounts of him usually come from times of famine and war, and he was particularly popular with poor villages, who would mark the graves of their dead with the symbol of his sword as offerings. For some reason or other, he got particularly popular with the youth, girls and boys both seemed to pray for him and leave him offerings.

The way these manifest on Jason is subtle at first. I could go the body horror route, but I won't. Yet. Instead I think his splinters show up as reflections, shadows, imprints. The faint echo of bell-like laughter when Jason does a move he learned as Robin, the image of a younger him with longer hair and unblinking eyes staring at him in the mirror. It gets worse when he gets the blades, the white streaks his hair, the swirling mark covers more of his skin every time he uses them, he trails the scent of smoke and blood behind him like a signature. His scars...they should disappear. They have for everyone else who used the pit, but instead his skin starts cracking. Any place he's ever been scarred glowing cracks break up his skin. He can't feel them, but he's always aware of them, the meaning behind them, the divinity literally leaking through his body. His eyes aren't brown anymore. They aren't even green. He looks in the mirror and they are copper, molten and burning. He tries his best to keep his mask on.

What do you think of when you imagine the word divinity? Probably something like Tara. Something with skin carved from stone, with moss and fungus crawling up her legs and snow laden shoulders. They say her hair is made of swirling clouds and the sun and moon are her eyes.

Some say she's a nymph although no one knows what kind. You're just as likely to see her name among the naiads as the dryads. Whether flowers bloom where she dances or waves crash when she sings, she's known to be more vicious towards suitors than her sisters.

Others have said she's a faerie, who takes the faces of lost daughters and lovers, slipping into their places seamlessly, forcing unruly men to pay their dues. Others say she's a shifter of a different sort, with a shawl of feathers and a crown of twine and gems. Stories range from men trying to steal her coat (and paying dearly) to lost children returned safely home on the back of a swan.

Tara doesn't think about it at first, the way gravity tends to cede to her, she doesn't notice how sunflowers turn their faces towards her instead of the sun. She doesn't notice the way her face...shifts. it's imperceptible really, and it's not like she looks in the mirror all that often. But everyone around her notices it, on some level, the way her expressions are off. A little too exaggerated. The way her limbs bend just a little too oddly. The way she never looks quite the same as she did the day before, the way she picks up features from the people around her the way she picks up rocks from ground to add to her collection. Clay molded subtly into the image of those she loves, a museum of everyone she's ever met. She does notice when her hair starts going white at the ends, the strange way her hair starts to curl unnaturally, almost floating. She's not so upset about her eyes, the deep blue of her father that has glared down at her day after day, she has changed her hair, her face, her language but she could not change her eyes. It seems she didn't have to, when she wakes up with one a little too silver to be gray and one a little too gold to be brown. And then her skin starts splitting, a cavern made from a broken rib and ravines made by the slashing of knives. She doesn't even bleed anymore, they never scab over. They crystallize, amber like ambrosia, like ichor. Her body a geode waiting to be cracked open to let the thing within finally break free.

They know the least about Grant, whatever he used to be. Half written scrolls, torn or burnt or simply stopped abruptly, illegible journal entries with symbols never recorded in any known language, half finished sketches where the details are never quite clear. A few things are usually consistent though, signs that he's been there, usually from hunters down on their luck or the particularly old and sickly. First, the howling. Like a wolf or a storm, although later accounts would add that it occasionally sounds like a mechanical whirring. Then the rabbits, dead and gutted, but not a trace of blood. Piles of them left in heaps on doorsteps or windowsills. Some have reported knocking at strange hours or finding teeth in their homes, a mix of human and animal. There is one photo on record, the most recent thing in the archive most likely, of claw marks on the side of a barn, too big and oddly serrated, certainly not from anything native to the area. Elderly that report these phenomena typically pass from heart problems within the week, according to some of the old medical files.

Grant came back wrong. Physically, at least. He knows that he's still himself for the most part, dying didn't make him a selfish asshole he did that all on his own, but...but something is wrong with him. It's the way lightbulbs flicker when he's mad and how cameras, no matter the quality, never quite get a clear shot of him. The way Joey can't ever grasp his features, not fully, the details slipping from his mind like water. The way eyes on his face slide right past, unable to look directly at him. It's in the gray spreading from his roots and his eyes too wide and dark to belong to something human. It's the way death clings to him like a second skin, sickly and pallid turning the tips of his fingers gray. His teeth are starting to feel too sharp for his mouth, and he hears things no one else does, whispers of voices that Are Not and Can't Be. The worst part is the orange, liquid candlelight under his skin, lighting up all of his veins and scars, webbing together like the world's worst game of connect the dots. No, there is no mistaking him for something human, so there is no reason to try. If this is his fate then he will take it, because he is not a sheep and he will not be a wolf, he is a hunter, and he is hungry.

[strangedreamings]

HOTD S2E3 (spoilers abound)

I like that they buried the twins together. In together, out together. Rhaenys counseling Rhaenyra was also good.

Ah, Criston. The Peter principle made flesh. Dude, your impatience is gonna get you killed (keep at it).

Once in a while, one of the Greens gets the group braincell and actually makes a good point. Of course, it never lasts.

Rhaenyra and Mysaria. Emma is killing it this season, they need an Emmy and a Golden Globe (and whatever other awards they're eligible for), they make you believe the pain Rhaenyra is feeling with their voice alone.

Rhaenyra asking her stepdaughter/first cousin to take her two youngest to Pentos. I can understand why but I gotta side with Rhaena on this -- if she had a dragon (i.e. been of use in this war), Rhaenyra never would've considered sending her away. When is she gonna get Morning? (Or is the rumor true and Rhaena is going to be combined with Nettles and thus get Sheepstealer? God, I hope not. We need more WOC on this show, not fewer.)

I swear, Caraxes is the only dragon I can recognize from any distance, because of his neck. Harrenhal. I hope we see its destruction someday, I wanna see dragonfire melt stone. I think this scene of Daemon looking for whoever's in the castle is supposed to be tense (there's no music, it's like the show is holding its breath), but all I feel is bored.

I love Ser Simon! (I've loved his actor for years now) He's pragmatic, a trait that is far too uncommon in Westeros. Also, he's funny -- he pledges his loyalty to Rhaenyra then immediately tells Daemon the dinner menu.

Daemon, quit being so goddamn picky about your form of address. "King consort" isn't a real title anyway. :P

Ser Simon isn't going to survive this season, I'm sure. Hell, he might not even survive this episode if he doesn't stop calling Daemon "your highness."

"The throne?"

"It's a big chair made of swords."

Daemon, you're a little shit (mixed) but I love your sense of humor.

Oh yeah, Alicent has a brother. He was in the pilot, right? He's pretty, which is a blessing and a curse in Westeros. Dude, if you had any brains at all, you'd leave Westeros and never return. Your sister and father are full of shit, you'd be better off without them. Ugh, I listened to him say three words and I already hate him. He sounds like every rich man's son talking to someone socially beneath him. Criston, the concept of friendly fire doesn't exist in Westeros but I'm counting on you to introduce it.

Can I just say I love how Criston's Hand of the King chain is worn? It looks to be attached to his armor. It stands out more than just a pin would have.

Dornishman? Oh, right, this is before Daeron II, so everybody still hates Dorne, got it. Add "racist" to Gwayne's other shitty traits.

Criston, you're really fucking pushing it.

As much as I hate Alicent, I think Olivia deserves all the awards too. Alicent is barely keeping things together and Olivia is doing a great job showing that.

Was the raven/crow eating Cheese's eye truly a necessary shot?

The music as the army leaves KL is really good. Ramin is at the top of his game this season (as always).

"It would be treason." My girl Rhaenyra, standing up to these men who want to set her aside.

I love Corlys and Rhaenys together but I know Rhaenys has a ticking clock over her head. Rook's Rest is coming soon. If not tonight, then next week.

Rhaenyra sending her three youngest away. It's sad that Aegon III and Viserys II probably know their nannies better than they know their parents. Rhaena and Baela had a good moment but damn, we need more from both of them, the writers aren't giving us nearly enough.

Aww, Helaena smiled at Jaehaera and it was so sweet.

"I forgive you," Helaena tells her mother.

For what, Helaena? For fucking Criston when he should've been protecting your son? You're forgiving Alicent for that? I know you're her daughter and I know you've got a big heart but seriously?

Aegon II is wearing his namesake's armor? That armor is 130 years old, surely it's out-of-date by this point. And how far are the writers going to take this "I have no identity of my own" shtick?

I hate Larys but his actor is compelling. Looks like it's promotions for everybody this season.

These new Kingsguard knights are pathetic.

Ulf the White, huh? I'm THOROUGHLY unimpressed. Also, would it have killed the hair department to, you know, give him the white hair he was known for?

Oh good lord, Aegon II goes whoring and runs into Aemond.

Full frontal, really? I think the show is trying too hard to go viral this season. Shocking moments need to be earned and (except for B&C) this show just hasn't done that yet. (No shame to Ewan. Like Nicola Coughlan, I'm sure he wanted to be able to look back on this year in the future and remember how hot he was.) Did the color of Aemond's sapphire change? It's not as blue as it was last season (or maybe that's just the shitty lighting).

Baela should've barbecued those assholes.

Oh, Rook's Rest has been mentioned! The countdown has begun in earnest.

Young Rhaenyra and Jaehaerys? Daemon, your subconscious is fucked up. But hey, a guilty conscience is better than no conscience at all.

So that's the famous Alys Rivers? What the hell was that voice? She doesn't sound like an adult at all.

"Killing her would be easier." Mysaria, honey, you are so right but if she did that, we wouldn't need the promised third season.

Rhaenyra, your crush on Alicent is gonna get you both killed.

She's dressed as a septa? I can just hear the Rhaenicent fans now.

I'm 99% sure this didn't happen in the book. *side-eyes the writers* Don't start going off-book now, you know what happened to GoT.

"though not before I killed you." Rhaenyra, you could've threatened her in a letter, you didn't need to do it in person.

I can't stop staring at the beadwork on Alicent's gown. HOTD's costume department could teach a thing or two to Bridgerton's.

This is getting us nowhere. Rhaenyra, this was a very dumb idea. Get out now before Alicent (who couldn't keep her voice down if you paid her) calls the guards.

You know, Rhaenyra, if your family didn't insist on naming EVERY THIRD BOY Aegon, you wouldn't have this fucking problem.

"... you know what Aemond is." A loose cannon with mommy issues? Just saying.

Ugh, they're ending it there? No tense moment of Rhaenyra getting the fuck back to Dragonstone?

Yep, we're definitely getting Rook's Rest next week.

[toasted-valentine]

Taopp Maya and Rowan analysis

It’s interesting to see how similar the two of them are, seemingly being foils to one another. If you look at their differences and similarities you can see why Maya gets away and is able to have a life with Maddox while Rowan dies in the end.

The biggest differences are patience and willingness to work within the system.

Maya is apparently a couple years older than Rowan, I think I saw that in an ask, and hasn’t had the luxury of being able to indulge in pure hedonism like Rowan has. She has to be more careful with her moves, like playing a game of chess delicately. Rowan koolaid mans his way through every problem, he needs Louis to help him strategize. He doesn’t have the same life experience Maya had. They’re both scheming opportunists who take full advantage of whatever tools that are at their disposal, Rowan tends to use a hammer for every issue while Maya is more considerate of the consequences and what can be done.

Maya and Rowan are both fully ready to kill and throw Jason under the bus to get what they want, actually forget throwing him under the bus, those two were doing donuts over him. Maya wasn’t even the one to suggest Rowan pardoning him, she was just going to get him potentially killed. They both grew up in an environment where brutal tactics were encouraged, Maya doesn’t even bat an eye at her father having murdered the old queen, excusing it as a necessary sacrifice. You can see how similar they are with how they interact, Maya dropping every semblance of polite princess and just swearing like a sailor while calling Rowan a dumbass. Their homicidal plans just bounce off each other with ease, their father’s brutal tendencies showing. They are able to balance out the things holding each other back, Maya gaining Rowan’s willingness to do what it takes, while Rowan’s plan takes deep consideration of court politics with Maya’s knowledge.

They both inherited some of their father’s worst traits, particularly the murdery bits. Their better parts come out cause of their respective partners, Maddox and Louis are both good natured, and you can see how they change Maya and Rowan. Maya is willing to give up all the potential power that being queen gives to he with Maddox, while Rowan is willing to do good for the sake of Louis. Even when jealous and spiteful, Rowan goes to beg for Jason’s life because he know Louis loves him. In the end, Maya is right, palace antics kill his good. Rowan becomes too much like his father, a violent, jealous, drunkard, and Maddox has to put him down.

There’s a few other parallels between the two you can see, particularly with queerness and gender presentation. Rowan is more feminine than a what is considered traditional, wearing makeup, having a relationship with the courtier, wearing flowing black garb. Maya is envious of Rowan, wants to be able to get out of her assigned gender roles, have a relationship with the Maddox openly, not be stuck in palace politics.

In abusive households there can often times form a golden child vs scapegoat dynamic, the golden child is the prize that the parent adores while the scapegoat does everything wrong. Maya was restricted by the king’s desires to groom her into the perfect queen, while everything Rowan does is the worst possible thing to ever happen to the kingdom. It creates resentment between the two, Maya wants the freedom that Rowan has while Rowan wants the favoritism that Maya has. If Maya wasn’t the favorite then maybe Rowan’s mother would still be alive. There’s a phrase that comes to mind, the grass is greener on the other side because it’s fertilized with bullshit.

It’s clear that Maya is the king’s favorite, the king willing to kill Rowan while going into extended mourning when Maya supposedly dies. They’re standoffish with one another cause they think that the other is just like their father, but the two can get along when working for a shared goal. Maya sees the good in her brother, and is right that the palace corrupts whatever good is left.

When Maya leaves she can see the parts of her father that are evil, seeing how restrictive her father was, and how all his supposed fatherly love was just control. She can’t even bring herself to care for her father’s death.

Rowan and Maya are the two sides of the same coin, but end up in different places due to just having some differences in upbringing and partner. Maybe they’d be on opposites side of the story in the end if they’d been raised differently, but as it stands, Rowan dies from his worst traits taking over. He didn’t take the chance to leave when Maya offered it, his blood lust and lust/love for Louis being too much.

[attackfish]

Let's hear your headcanons/ideas for the universe where Baby!Zuko was whisked away through time and popped into Aang's saddle mere moments before they crashed into the Arctic waters and all the consequences that would bring. For starters, I can see the conversation about nature & nurture that happened around TomTom between Sokka and Kataara to happen much earlier because of that.

Contined from the first scenario here: [Link].

I have to wonder how easy it is to tell a Fire Nation royal baby from any other baby. Is he dressed differently? Zuko is roughly two at this point, which means he's old enough for his eyes to have settled into their golden color, but unless you're looking for it, that's kind of hard to tell apart from brown. And he's pale skinned and black haired, but both of those are traits found in abundance in the Earth Kingdom.

So what's left are clothes. Tom-Tom was wearing a white tunic edged in pink, and pinkish grayish loose pants. While Zuko's would undoubtedly be the finest quality, I'm not sure that they would be any different. And the colors and shapes that Tom-Tom is wearing at that age are all ones we have seen in Earth Kingdom dress, for example the shade of pink he's wearing on his tunic is very similar to the one that Song wears.

What I'm saying is, would any of them know, looking at him, just who this random baby who showed up, is?

In the initial post, I had him dressed all in Fire Nation red, and that would of course give them an indication of where he's from, but they still would have no idea that he is a royal baby, or specifically that he is Zuko, the missing prince.

And like, once they've established that Aang is in fact from a hundred years ago, the reasonable assumption is that the baby is from a hundred years ago too.

So they have this random baby from before the war, and sure, Sokka is team evil Fire Nation baby, but not only are Aang and Katara team it's a baby, you jerk, but so is Kanna.

This whole situation lasts for a couple of weeks, until this actual asshole named Commander Zhao shows up, because that's just How the universe is, and this is why we can't have nice things. He is thrilled to find the Avatar, and easily capture him with a little bit of extortion, but he also manages to recognize this strange baby's fancy baby clothes. How the heck did they end up with Prince Zuko's baby clothes, on a baby who looks suspiciously like he could be Prince Zuko, but is weirdly still a baby, Zhao has no idea, but he'll be eaten by a fish if this isn't the best day he's ever had. He's taking these two back to Firelord Ozai. He's getting that promotion.

[bastetwastaken]

So I'm writing an original story....

and I've been brainrotting over the OCs I created for it so hard, but I haven't shared all that much because I've been worried about suddenly dumping original stuff here on a blog where I usually post fanfic.

However, the brainrot is too strong, so I'm just going to do it. They live in my head rent-free and so now I'm gonna make them your problem too. So here's a way-too-detailed fact sheet for the first of my OCs, a True Deorum, the prince of Tuath Dé, Akoni <3

................

BASIC INFO:

Full Name– Dagda Akoni Lugh, of the True Deorum, Prince of Tuath Dé. 

Preferred name – Akoni 

Age– 2045 (equivalent early twenties) 

Gender/Pronouns– He/Him 

Sexuality– Pansexual 

Species– Deorum

Ethnicity– Tuatha Dé Danann 

Likes– Making friends, socialising, travelling (wishes he could travel properly outside of pre-arranged visits to other kingdoms) 

Dislikes–  Being held above everyone like he’s untouchable and people not speaking to him like he’s an actual person. 

Personality (positive and negative traits) --Positive— Kind, Open minded, Attentive, Intelligent, Trusting, Easy to talk to. --Negative— Chaotic (Can be dismissive, but not on purpose), doesn’t think things through, Trusting. 

Hobbies – Hunting, sparring, reading. 

Occupation– Prince of the Kingdom of Tuath Dé 

Strengths– He’s a divine being by all rights, he has a great amount of power and is very strong physically too, his kindness makes him more open to the world. 

Weaknesses– Chaotic nature, Lack of foresight, Impatience, arrogance, willingness to take risks. 

PHYSICAL TRAITS + APPEARANCE:

Height– 7ft 5in 

Weight- 250lb

Hair Color– Mahogany 

Hairstyle– Mid chest length, often worn partially tied back or in loose curls.  

Facial Hair– None 

Face Shape– Kind of oval shape. Sharp and strong jawline, full lips, almond shaped eyes. 

Marks– Covered in the markings of the Deorum, golden lines cover all of his body, for the most part they have no real distinct pattern, they appear like cracks in the skin. The only ones which have a pattern and meaning are those he has on his back, down his spine. The ones which mark him as a True Deorum 

Scars– None. 

Eye colour– Carmine red Iris with flecks of gold which become more vibrant when he uses his magic. 

Skin Tone – Golden brown

Body Type– Muscular, toned. Broad shoulders- typical Dorito shape man. 

Dominant Hand– Left

Posture– Impeccable 

Birthmarks– Markings of the True Deorum on his back.

Piercings– Lobes and two on the helix 

Teeth– Perfect

Voice-- Deeper pitched, smooth and confident. 

Sense of fashion and style– Varies depending on the activity but all of his clothes are very finely made and detailed, usually blue or purple in colour (until he finds out a certain someone really likes green) -- Ball wear - fancy af, showing his markings on his back. Lots of gold and fine fabrics, deep purple in colour, fitted and well tailored. -- Formal wear- Dark clothing with a coloured overcoat, well tailored again, leather boots. Colours are usually deep red or blue, maybe even a deep green (when he realises a certain someone really likes that colour). Or if it’s a ceremony/duel/event then he dresses more “revealing” armour style clothing but obviously not really meant for battle. Bracers of coloured leather and gold, fitted tunic open across the chest (to show his strength apparently) mostly dark coloured but with a deep red or deep blue trim and sash around his waist. --Everyday wear- lighter coloured clothing, beige or white with lots of gold still and a coloured cloak where needed.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

Languages known– Latin (first language), Draconic, the language of the Daoine Sí, very basic Lucetan (Elvish regional dialect)  

Personality Type– Myers Briggs test- ESFP-A type. Extroverted, observant, pragmatic, Values emotional expression over thinking, good at improvising, flexible, assertive, self-confident - Strengths:  -- Bold- won’t hold back, willing to experience everything there is to experience. Doesn’t mind stepping out of his comfort zone. --Original- Traditions and expectations can be secondary to him if he really really wants something, he loves to experiment where he can.  --Practical- He wants to feel and experience the world, not just observe it. He wants to do the things rather than just learn about them.  --Observant- Acting mostly in the here and now means he picks things up quite quickly.  --Excellent people skills- great talker, but also loves to pay attention to people. Witty, talkative, and loves to be around people. - Weaknesses:  --Sensitive- Very emotional and can be vulnerable to criticism. If he feels as though he’s backed into a corner he can react badly, but he’s way better at hiding this when acting as a prince than he is acting as an individual/with someone he trusts.  --Conflict-averse- He would rather ignore conflict, even though he understands that sometimes it’s necessary to get results and his own actions can definitely cause conflicts if he doesn’t watch himself. He will tend to say and do as needed to get the most out of a situation then move on.  --Easily bored- Can turn to risky behaviour and self-indulgence if he gets bored.  --Poor long-term planner and can be unfocused- He takes things as they come rather than stop and think about where they might lead. He will happily fall into something without actually thinking about where he’ll end up. 

Cultural Background– - The Deorum were created by the light gods in order to save Miotas from the threat of the Fomorians, beings which live on the plane of darkness. They have the power of the light gods, chaos and darkness in them but a condition of their creation was that they are tied to the mortal plane, they can never leave unless permitted by the light gods. They won’t ever have access to the realm of the gods or the plane of darkness because it’s believed that being able to be there would unleash their true power and make them too powerful. The light gods actually fear just how much power the Deorum have and pray that they never choose to work out how to use it. - The Deorum are bound by celestial law, set out by the light gods, to protect Miotas. They have no "army" in the traditional sense, as they’re not allowed to declare war on anyone unless explicitly threatened or instructed to do so by the light gods. If that day ever came, every Deorum would fight. - Tuath Dé was where they decided to settle, as it was built for them by the first Deorum and is the place they’re tied to. They can travel to other realms in Miotas, but they’ll need to return to Tuath Dé often as that’s the seat of their power. A Deorum who is away from Tuath Dé for too long will cease to exist.

Myths and stories: 

The forest of Gaoth Dhiga (Divine Wind) is the subject of a lot of lore and myth. It’s rumoured to be the exact site of the famous battle of Cathal, the trees which grew to cover the site were fed by the blood of fallen Fomorians. It’s said that on nights when the moon is full, you can still hear the anguished screams of the Fomorians and the battle cries of the Deorum echoing between the trees. Some believe the trees themselves contain the souls of fallen Fomorians. People have heard calls for help coming from within the dense trees, but once they go in search of those in distress, they become easily disorientated and very rarely do they return. 

The battle of Cathal- The story of the creation of the Deorum, an account of how the light god Aodhan created the Deorum and drove back the dark forces which wished to destroy the light gods.  

Aodhan the fearless- A story told to Deorum children which tells of the light god Aodhan and his eternal bravery and strength. A story to encourage the children to become their best selves and show strength and courage in every aspect of their lives. 

The missing Deorum- A cautionary tale which is mostly for royalty and nobles about a Deorum who decided to use their power to get what they wanted. They were eventually subdued and imprisoned by the light gods in a kind of stasis where they remain to this day.

Speech Patterns– Formal until he’s more comfortable with someone, then he’ll drop the act a little. 

Most Used Phrases/Words– Probably “Oh, great.” 

Title– Prince of Tuath Dé/ True Deorum. 

Birthday– Lughnasadh (August 1st) 

Fears– None. He has very little to fear as a divine being. 

Phobias– n/a

Mannerisms– Chivalrous, will always bring someone into a conversation rather than just talk at them, confident but not in an abrasive way.  

Intelligence– Higher than one might think at first. He’s very well educated as a prince, he needs to know what's going on but the chaotic nature of his species might lead people to assume he’s not very intelligent. 

Interests– Nature and the ways of the world, celestial observation. 

Problem-solving skills– He just rolls with things mostly…

Emotional Intelligence– Will let his emotions win out in most cases, but he can reign that in if he has to make an important decision, he just finds it hard to do. 

Creativity– Not really relevant? His chaotic nature usually leads him to make a decision without really having to think creatively about the solutions. He’ll just take the most direct route to a solution and fuck the consequences. 

Introverted or extroverted?-- Extroverted. 

Pet Peeves– General rudeness, people looking down on others/talking down to others regardless of social standing.

Mood– Usually quite upbeat. 

BELIEFS

Political views-- As a prince, he will always try to do what is right for his people, he will support his fathers decisions and feels a strong sense of loyalty to his kingdom. However, he does regularly question why they have to feud with Luceras when no one even seems to know what the problem is anymore. 

Religion-- He’s connected to the light gods and is a divine being himself, so religion isn’t something he really observes although he does take place in and carry out the rituals which the Deorum believe improve their lives. 

Core Values-- Integrity, resilience, empathy and compassion. 

Alignment– Chaotic Good. 

Beliefs about morality and ethics– Values fairness as far as possible and can distinguish right from wrong, those things just may be tainted by his own wants and needs in any given situation. 

Beliefs about happiness and success– Success to him would be taking the crown when his father is ready to step down and rule fairly. Happiness would be having someone to share that success with. 

Beliefs about the world and society– Values personal freedom, even though he’s a royal, he doesn’t believe that monarchy should be absolute in terms of power. The Deorum prefer a more democratic society but the royals are there to make sure things run as they should, and to continue to be the link between Miotas and the light gods. 

Personal Philosophy– The best way to find out if you can trust someone is to trust them. 

Self-perception– Sees himself as pretty perfect honestly.  

MOTIVATIONS:

Motivation– Doing what is right. 

Biggest Secret– The fact that he’s dating the son of his fathers sworn enemy. 

Biggest Dream– To just exist. 

Deepest fear– His own nature and what that actually means. 

Inner Conflict– He wants to fulfil his duty and also wants to follow his heart and leave it all behind to be with his lover. 

External Conflict– His fathers hatred of the race his lover belongs to. 

Regrets– Not speaking out against his fathers hatred of the Lucerans. 

Desires– A life with his lover free of conflict and judgement. 

External Pressures– Good wine, good food, good company. 

Insecurities– None. 

Legacy– The decisions he makes as prince and eventually as king. 

RELATIONSHIPS:

Enemies– By virtue of the feud, all Lucerans. 

Rivals– None really. 

Significant Other– Ilua, Luceran prince. 

Family-- Adamaris (Father, living), Deanna (Mother, living), Darragh (Uncle, deceased), Aoife (Aunt, deceased), Tiberius, Niamh, Oisín, (Cousins, living) 

Professional Relationships– The members of the court, his fathers council and other nobles are all people he keeps contact with professionally. 

Mentors/Mentees– His father taught him all he knows. Knowledge is passed directly from father to son for the True Deorum. 

Past Romances– Nothing that lasted (or that his father knows about) Just casual things here and there. 

Best Friends– Niamh his cousin. They get along very well and find it amusing that the Deorum people think they’ll marry soon. 

Close Friends– Tiberius and Oisín, his other cousins. He’s also close friends with the son of the head of the guard who acts as his personal bodyguard, Daithí.

Role Models– His mother and father. 

ABILITIES:

Supernatural Abilities–If needed, the True Deorum would take their true forms in battle.  

Fighting Style– Extremely well trained, courageous but also a little wild in the way he wields weapons. He does it with skill, but also an element of unpredictability. 

Skills/ weapons training– Sword, spear and daggers. 

Magic– Wielded effortlessly along with weapons, an extension of those weapons and also a way for him to shield himself and others if needed. 

Physical Strength/Endurance– Unrivalled. 

Persuasion Ability– Can be very persuasive.

[mad-raptorzzz]

[ID: Sketches of the Mane 6 from MLP friendship is magic. Twilight is a dark purple color with darker purple long hair around her hooves. She has a light purple mane and tip to her tail with mustard yellow streaks. Her horn is light purple and curves upwards. She wears glasses. Applejack is a big Clydesdale with golden hair and large hooves. She has her mane in a braid and has a bob tail. Rainbow dash is small and compact with small scars on her body. Her wings are a lighter sky blue compared to her body. Her mane and tail are messy and rainbow colored. Pinky Pie is a small, round pink pony with a very messy, curly main and tail. Her main and tail are light cotten candy blue with pink and yellow streaks. Fluttershy is a tall pale yellow pegasus with a long light pink main and tail with moss green streaks. Rarity is a small, light grey unicorn. She has a dark purple, shiny, and well groom mane and tail. Her nose is a very pale pink and she has a small straight horn. /End]

Just very rough sketches of the mane 6 before they are all friends. I have been seeing a lot of MLP art lately and wanted to try to design these gals. I will try to do them each individually and show how I think they changed throughout the series (obvious ones being Twilight becoming an alicorn and I like to think Fluttershy kept some bat-like qualities) Oh and I have to do spike too of course

Basic headcannons:

Twilight forgets to eat a lot when she's alone and friendless. She's like very skinny at first, but eventually gets to a healthy weight because her friends remind her to eat. I mean look how buff her brother is, she's got buff genes. She is also buff, just small and buff. She's ace in my headcannon because I relate to her a lot

AJ is literally just a Clydesdale. I know it's nothing new. But yep. That's it. Lesbian. Also nothing new

Rainbow dash is gonna be based on a peregrine falcon. She has scars from hitting things a lot. Definitely a lesbian. *stares at lesbian AJ above*

Pinkie is small and plump, but wicked strong. She grew up breaking rocks her whole childhood. Also Pinkie is for sure gender fluid and uses/accepts all pronouns. Also pan.

Fluttershy will be based on a swan, very elegant. Keeps bat pony traits and consistently has trouble sleeping when there's a full moon. I do ship her and discord, but more of a QPR type relationship.

Rarity was also very skinny prior to being friends, but this was because all the fashion models were very thin and she felt like she needed to be. Unicorn beauty standards are very harsh unfortunately. However, she is also encouraged to take care of herself by her friends and gets to a healthier spot. I like trans Rarity headcannons.

[imagoddamnonionmason]

Holidays at the Mason Home: Chapter 3 - Humble Abode

Fandom: Call of Duty

Word Count: 1894

Relationships: Frank Woods x Bell OC, Alex Mason x OC

Characters: Frank Woods, Alex Mason, Bell OC,

Summary: Bell meets Alex's wife.

A/N: ok so I did some research just to make sure my assumption about Christmas basically not being a thing in Soviet Russia, due to the Soviet Union. I was right. The Soviet Union basically said 'no Christmas is bad. no religion'. I'd recommend going and looking it up if this interests you, 'cause I don't wanna hound y'all with a history lesson-

It was half past midnight when the three of them managed to park the pickup and escape into the heat of the home, which had steps leading up to the front door. On it was a wreath of holly, pinecones and red berries brought together with a red ribbon and golden thread. Sometimes, Bell forgot that it was the time of year where people celebrated Christmas, as she had never really done such a thing. Maybe as a child, but from her teen years and onward, the whole thing was deemed nothing more than a distraction the west built up and up on; the usual schtick that her then comrades would discuss in order to villainise just about every aspect of a society that didn’t hold their ambitious ideologies.  

Mason unlocked the door, allowed his friends to step inside first, then turned his eyes to the outside. He scanned, checked everywhere he might expect to find something amiss and when he was satisfied he turned in. He barely had time to take a breath before the stairs light was on and he was being interrogated. 

“What time do you call this? I thought something had happened. Has something happened?” 

Sarah, for all the good that she was, was a worrier. Her fraught lashings always came from a place of deep caring and it was this knowledge that Mason used to cool down the heat of annoyance whenever she got irate. He found her standing a few steps up on the stairs, wrapped warmly in a dressing gown and slippers on her feet. He doubted that their arrival had woken her from sleep, but rather that she had remained awake. 

“Everything’s fine, go to bed.” He offered, “I’ll show these two where they’re staying.” 

“Did you tell them about the room?” She asked, finding another reason to remain. 

Woods and Bell stood silently, having removed their wet boots and removed their winter wear, hanging them on the hooks nestled at the front door. It was clear now that they were edging into tiredness, but neither of them would say it. 

“I didn’t,” Mason admitted.

“Right…” Sarah huffed, rubbing her puffy eyes, “well, why don’t I show them, and you sort out Maximus because the dog won’t come inside and I swear we’ll never find him under all that snow in the mornin’. He never listens to me.” 

Putting his hands up, Mason slowly backed into the hallway that headed to the kitchen, offering his wife a soft smile, “alright, just go to bed after, I’ll sort it.” 

She nodded, wiping her eyes again. Bell could see that she was utterly drained, her skin a little pale and eyes darkened with circles. She wasn’t quite ill looking, but she did look like she was carrying the weight of the world on her frail shoulders. Then, she gestured to the two of them, a sweeping motion with her hand, and invited them to follow her upstairs. 

“Come on, we’ll get y’all settled in,” she offered a warm smile and though it fought to reach her eyes, it couldn’t quite succeed in its endeavour. Woods let Bell go first, taking the rear as he nodded goodnight to Mason. They had shared a look, which Mason had waved him off as nothing to worry about regarding Sarah.

Woods had always found it a little bit annoying how worried she could be, but not because it was her but because of the trait in general; he couldn’t stand to be worried over and, at times, Sarah worried herself out of solutions for the things she worried about - it all seemed pointless and Woods hated inaction. But, she and Mason had their way of dealing with her anxieties, ways that Woods felt he could never quite grasp. He remembered once making her worse when he tried to calm her down. 

He’d never do that again. 

“So, we didn’t have time to finish the other room before you came,” Sarah began, her voice just above a whisper, “David wasn’t very well and other things, so it just got left until the last minute, and then the last minute wasn’t long enough. That means you two are going to have to share the other spare bedroom. There’s a cot in there, but also a double, so… decide between yourselves who gets the comfy bed and who doesn’t. Unless you’re… sharin’?” 

Sarah had looked over her shoulder, a slight glint of hope in her eyes when she asked the question and it caught Woods off guard. He knew exactly what she was implying, but refused to think on it further, unless he wanted to give himself a headache. 

Bell threw her brows up in surprise, lips pursed in question, “why would we share?” 

“Oh, no reason, it’s only an option,” Sarah urged, quickly regaining an air of innocence about her. She would admit that it was a shame to find that the two were not together and she’d tell her husband as such when he’d finally decide to roll into bed beside her later. 

Once at the designated room, Sarah opened the door and let them venture in, flicking the dull light on in the room, a singular bulb with a cream cover hanging from the ceiling. Her voice was erring on the side of teasing, as she bid them goodnight, “behave, you two.” 

Then, the door closed, and it was just them. 

“Behave? What does she think we are, teenagers?” Woods puffed, nose scrunched slightly in his irk. Bell merely shook her head, patting his shoulder before dumping her bag on the end of the double bed. The sheets were pristine white, with the occasional flower patterned along a seam, as well as ruffles that cascaded to the floor all around the perimeter. Four pillows nestled at the head of the bed, the headboard was a cream colour, the fabric velveteen and adorned with buttons in a diamond pattern across its body. 

Then, there was the cot, which looked like it had crawled from the depths of the jungle, gasping for freedom. They had definitely tried to make it more comfortable than what it was, with a sleeping bag, blankets, and a plush pillow.

David even left his bear on the pillow, Woods thought. 

“So, which do you want?” Bell asked, watching Woods with tired eyes. Her tone was enervated, heavy, as though sleep was encroaching on her mind quickly. 

“Take the bed,” he ordered, “you wouldn’t survive on the cot.” 

Her features soured with a look of derision, but she didn’t respond to him. Instead, she hovered in place, eyes watching the same spot of scuffed fabric on her duffel bag, lost in thought. Thoughts of events earlier in the night, of things said and things done, and how easy some of them had come to her. Of course, their camaraderie had meant that she would throw herself on a grenade if the time called for it, if it had ever called for it, as that’s what you would do for those you fought alongside with. 

So, turning on the man that would dare threaten the integrity of either Woods or Mason had been the right thing to do. In anyone else’s eyes, they were veterans of a war they were forced to fight and deserved respect. But, to ease into a character such as a wife, a lover, that had been the surprise; she had never thought about anyone in such a way, really only using the prospect of romance to earn something in return, to manipulate. None of her connections in the past had been of a genuine sort, well, all except one. However, she had buried those memories so deeply that she feared they had fossilised. 

Anyway, she was left to wonder why she was uprooted by this display of affection between her and Woods. It was that which she couldn’t make sense of and it left a bad taste in her mouth. 

“Hey, you still with me?” A hand waved in front of her face and when she broke free of her stupor, Woods stood by her, expertly hiding the concern on his face. 

“Why did you go with it? You could have told that guy the truth,” she asked. 

“You’re still on with that?” Woods raised an eyebrow, before moving to pull his shirt over his head. His arms then rested against his stomach, the appendages momentarily trapped by the item of clothing, as he thought about his answer. 

Bell looked away, quickly. 

“Why not?” That was what he settled on. After all, there was no point in mincing words; Woods had felt no need to explain to a fucking idiot the measure of his relationship with Bell. If the Cliff guy wanted to believe that they were married, well that’s on him. Woods didn’t go around correcting people’s assumptions about him, good or bad, because Woods didn’t give a shit.

“It’s like you didn’t even think about it,” she admitted, sitting on the edge of the bed. Woods soon discarded the shirt onto the cot, hands on his hips, chest open as he took a deep breath. 

Had his decision upset her that badly? Shit. 

“Does it bother you?” He eventually asked, feeling like he was dancing on knives. 

He hated that. 

“No.” 

“Then what’s the issue?” 

She should have anticipated it would turn onto her. 

“There isn’t one,” she chided, folding her arms over her chest. 

Well, maybe just the fact that it leaves me feeling vulnerable, emotionally, and she was not used to that. 

“Good,” Woods almost seemed to smile at this, but he turned his back to her, rummaging through his belongings before she could venture to gauge his features and their tells. 

A beat. 

“Thanks, for putting that guy in his place,” his voice was muffled as he pulled a vest over his head, hair becoming messy as his head popped back into view, “people like him really fucking piss me off.” 

“Forget about him. He doesn’t know what it’s like for people like us.” She offered, as she too began to undress, “they want to make it out to be about choice. They think it’s about being good, or being bad. I’ll be damned if I ever knew I had one.” 

After all, in war the only choices available are to kill or be killed. To take the bloodied knife that had just killed your friend and plunge into the backs of your enemies, less they use it against you. In her time, all choices were out of reach. It was yessir, no sir, three bags full sir, fucking we have a job to do, Bell. 

Her nails were digging into her palms and it was the pain that brought her back to her senses. 

Woods quietly regarded that point and came to the conclusion that he couldn’t have worded it better - Vietnam had taken its toll on a lot of people, but try as it might, that place had failed to create a corpse of him and drag him to the depths. 

He’d crawled out of that hellhole just to spite those who had put him there. 

“Fucking A,” he muttered, after a moment. 

That was seemingly it for the night’s conversation and the two got into their beds. Sleep eventually took them, though they slept lightly throughout the night.

[barry-j-blupjeans]

Monster mash 6 blupjeans

6. Can’t a guy just be incredibly suspicious without everybody jumping down their throat??

((monster mash prompts - find them here!!))

--

Lup would like to say that at this point, she had discovered all the weird quirks and undesirable traits that her... roommates? Team? Crew? Crew sounded cool, she could roll with a crew. Having a team sounded like she was an elementary schooler who had yet to discover teamwork did not, in fact, make the dream work. But at this point, she would like to say she knew at least ninety-five percent of the dirt she could possibly know about them.

Merle liked plants. Like-liked plants. Deffo a red flag, no doubt. She was never going to say it to his face, but if she had to wager a guess about why his ex-wife was an ex, Lup would have some pretty good opinions to voice. He was stinky and smelly and had two left feet but, to be honest, had some hella dance moves.

Magnus was like a golden retriever in human form and while that wasn't necessarily a bad thing, it was a bit much sometimes. He left wood shavings everywhere he went and forgot to put the cap back on the milk. One time Lup thought he had been getting murdered, but he had only screamed because he saw a spider.

Taako in of himself was a red flag, natch. No more to be said about Taako. She knew him better than she knew himself and, honestly, she was a little bit disgusted. But mostly proud. But also, like, a little bit disgusted yeah.

Barry... Barry. Yeah. Barry.

"What'cha doing?" Lup asked, leaning out of her door. The Director had recently upgraded them to this big dorm. It was a stark contrast to the one they had moved into when they first arrived on the moon. They did, unofficially, kick Pringles out, but Lup had seemed him around since and he didn't seem to be harboring a grudge about it so that was good. Maybe he slept in like, a bush now. Or maybe he had found himself an actual bed. Lup didn't know and, frankly, didn't care.

She did, however, care about whatever the fuck Barry was doing right now. When she had spoken, Barry slammed his own bedroom door shut and leaned against it, turning to face her. He seemed like he was trying to be casual but pulled that off just about as well as a zebra wearing polka dots.

"Oh, uh, hey Lup," Barry said. "Didn't- didn't see you there. I thought no one else was here, heh."

"No, I'm- I mean, I'm deffo here," Lup said. "What's, uh, what's in your room, bud?"

"My room?"

"Yeah," Lup said. "The thing you just pushed into your room and slammed the door on?"

"I didn't- uhm, I don't know what you're talking about," Barry said. He rubbed his arm with his hand, looking literally anywhere but her. "I was just, uh, going to bed."

"It's eleven in the morning."

"I'm just- I'm tired!" Barry said. He was sweating now. "I'm tired since we're doing all this training-"

"What training???"

"And I was gonna go take a nap," Barry continued, loudly. "Because I'm so tired. So-" he attempted to yawn, but for some reason, he couldn't get himself to, so he just sort of coughed into his fist. "So tired. Really gotta-"

"Barold," Lup said.

"Uh, y- yeah?"

"Your... tiredness is leaking through the door."

Barry looked down. From the other side of his door, a green goop was starting to seep into the hallway. She hoped he didn't have any carpets in there. Barry lept away from the door and it started to open for a second. Lup caught the briefest glimpse of a large object filled with that green glue before Barry leaned over and pressed his hand firmly to the door, closing it.

"Look," Barry said. "I, uh, I mean- it's technically not supposed to be up here, but if you won't snitch then I- I guess I can show you. If you want, I mean. Not- you don't have to."

"I mean, as long as it isn't like, a dead dude, then sure, hell yeah. Actually, if it is a dead dude, is it like a cool one or-"

"It's not a dead guy," Barry said, smiling slightly.

"Are you sure?" Lup asked. "'Cus you're acting like, incredibly suspicious and you did loan me that necromancy book-"

"Says the person who wanted a necromancy book in the first place," Barry shot back. He looked momentarily embarrassed before Lup laughed, throwing her head back. "Can't a guy just, uh, just be incredibly suspicious without everyone jumping down his throat?"

"Absolutely not," Lup said. She cracked her knuckles, walking towards the door. She was careful to avoid the green goop. "Let's see what'chu got, Barold."

"Well, uh," Barry hadn't lessened his hold on the door yet. "How deep exactly are you, uh, interested in necromancy."

"A moderate amount?" Lup said. "A moderate to severe amount. Like a "hey I should probably Think About why I'm so interested in this" type of amount."

"Works for me," Barry said, stepping back from the door once more. It slowly swung open, reviling the green pod (?) Lup had caught a glimpse of before. There was something... growing inside it.

"What... is that?" Lup said, peering a little closer.

"Well, uh," Barry said. "That'd be me. A clone of me, I guess is a better way to put it. Lemme show you how it works."