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#peridots-nonsense
peridots-pixiwolf · 1 year
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[Start ID. A three-circle venn diagram with Gabriel from Ultrakill, the Lonely Wizard from Inscryption, and the Hollow Knight from the game of the same name. Between Gabriel and Lonely is the text "guys will see a character with vague biology, say 'is anyone gonna buggify that' and not wait for an answer". Between Lonely and Hollow is the text "void beings placed in solitary confinement by a superior they admired with the intention of keeping them there forever". Between Hollow and Gabriel is the text "existed only to be a tool for their god. just wants to be perfect. never allowed to be a person". In the center between all three is just the word "trauma". End ID
having Thoughts
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ceephorsshitshow · 1 year
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My dash did the funniest thing with a @peridyke post and an ad
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The self RESTRAINT!
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peridyke · 1 year
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what do u think of lauren zuke saying peri is aroace :skull: / the theory that shes aroace from the fanbase
zuke didn't say that actually it was maya peterson, I think zuke said they wrote peridot to be a homo LOL
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arsonistshub-a · 6 months
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sometimes all we really want is a tall buff woman to just pick us up and carry us away from our problems, and that's okay
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If I had a dime for every time I encountered a character named Peridot who is a dork, I would have two dimes which is cool
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There should be a fanfiction genre where Karkat gets isekai'd to your favorite franchise and takes it over through sheer force of charisma, but does so entirely against his own will.
Turn Karkat into the top crime lord in Gotham. Have him become the senior executive at Umbrella who puts an end to all of that Zombie Virus nonsense. Have him completely prevent the Star Wars original trilogy from even happening by befriending Anakin before Palpatine can. The more ridiculous and grandiose in scope the situation, and the more accidental the consequences, the better. Karkat Vantas is Reigen Arataka by way of Peridot from Steven Universe. Have him act like it.
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jointworldadonai · 4 months
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  Xavier Sells a Hairpin.
  Xavier Sells a Hairpin.
                                                                  By Kalataria 
Random Girl comes to the store and looks at hair pins: 
Xavier walks up cause she was standing there for a while: “Need any help Vela?”
Girl looks at him: “Oh, me?”
Xavier: “Of course, who else would fit the word Vela?”
Girl blushes (Vela is common knowledge, as it’s also used as a name): “Ehe, um, maybe? I wasn’t sure if I should get one, they seem too extravagant.”
Xavier: “Hmmm. this one would probably look good on your beautiful hair.” *Picks up an Ivory/Peridot Hari pin.*
Girl: “Oh, it is pretty”
Xavier gave a ‘May i?’ motion and she nodded. He puts her hair up and leads her to a mirror: “See? The green matches your eyes and the Ivory contrasts your hair. Very good combination, not too fancy but just fancy enough.” Girl, looking in the mirror: “Oh I don’t know, I don’t think it suits me very well.” Xavier: “Nonsense! With this you will be a girl to be sought after and the Vela at the ball! It looks very pretty on you.”
Girl, Blushes: “Oh,” “I’ll get it then if you really think so!” 
Xavier: “Absolutely I do!”
Girl: “alright then!”
Xavier claims silent victory on selling the hairpin.
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squaric-acid · 4 months
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A Treat for the Eyes, Pt. 2
Part 2 of my contribution to the TCR Secret Santa 2023
I'm writing for @raythecomputerart, I hope you enjoy! I was going to write something short and sweet for the cozy tea party prompt but it got entangled with the high fashion prompt and this was the result.
=====
When Haru walked into the studio space she was struck by how dark the backstage part of it was. Toto and Muta sat at a table with bottles of water and stacks of paper, no doubt the information of all the models who were auditioning.
Behind them, in a director chair, eyeing her with an unreadable but clearly calculating look, was Baron himself.
Haru was taken by surprise. He was a slim man, with short tawny hair curled stylishly on his head. He couldn’t be any more than thirty from Haru’s reckoning but his eyes held a look that made him seem both younger and much older all at once. He was clean-shaven and although his features were defined they weren’t chiseled to the likes of Tom Hiddleston, there was softness there too.
Haru’s mouth had parted but she took no notice.
Baron looked down at the black notebook resting on his knee. Now that his face was not captivating her entire being, Haru examined what he was wearing. She was a model after all and took a professional interest in clothes.
He wore a light gray pair of herringbone tweed trousers and a pearl colored button down shirt that was rolled roguishly up to his elbows. Curiously, his hands were covered in tailored white linen gloves. He was, all-in-all, as expected, exceedingly handsome.
She must have voiced part of this last observation aloud because Toto snickered a little bit.
“Haru?” Asked Muta’s gruff, no-nonsense voice.
“Oh, yes?” Haru shook herself. It did not seem as though Baron had heard her admission.
“If you would step into the light and pose,” the rotund photographer asked.
Haru set her bag down and squared her shoulders. It was not full studio lighting and Haru was grateful. It was just enough light to see what you were working with but not so much that clothes would start ironing themselves.
Haru posed. Nice and simple. Muta and Toto occasionally voiced directions.
“Walk towards us.” Said Muta.
Haru did as asked but as she did so she noticed Baron leaning over Muta’s shoulder and whispering something through the glare of the studio lights. She stumbled, earning concerned looks from all three men.
When she reached the front of the lighted studio space Baron was watching her with a keen eye and Toto and Muta were making notes.
Haru hesitated.
“Is that everything?”
“Er, not quite,” Toto said.
“Baron’s going to take your measurements while Muta and I arrange the details for the shoot.”
Haru felt her cheeks warm and by the time she’d processed that information Baron was already by her side. Toto and Muta had flown into a flurry of activity and discussion, of which Haru caught very little.
“Why?” Haru managed to ask. It wasn’t common knowledge that designer collections were not strictly tailor-made to fit the models who presented them. Baron really was a particular customer.
Baron smiled at her, his eyes were a vivid shade of emerald green with peridot and gold highlights. They looked magical and oddly feline.
“It wouldn’t do for you to model something if it doesn’t fit you properly.”
Haru’s cheeks erupted in blush and Baron circled her with his tape measure. Baron’s voice was articulate and well-spoken, he spoke with the air of an aristocrat but there was a slight accent to his voice. French, or German was more likely.
When he had finished, Toto held out a slip of paper. Baron took it and looked it over. He handed it to Haru. On it was an address. 
“Come by my studio a week from today. You’ll be able to preview the collection and we’ll do the final fitting.”
“But,” Haru protested. “Why me, wouldn’t someone like Yuki be more appropriate for a shoot like this?”
Baron put a gloved hand to his chin and thought for a moment. Then he smiled and Haru’s heart jumped behind her ribs. 
“I think you are more than suitable.” He tapped the piece of paper in Haru’s hand. 
“Next week, until then I want you to do just one thing. Always believe in yourself. Do that and no matter where you are you will have nothing to fear.”
He ushered her towards the door and with a kind smile left her in the hall. 
Haru could hardly believe her ears nor her luck. 
~@~
Hiromi was over the moon at her friend’s news.
“I can’t believe you are going to be modeling Baron’s newest collection! I’m so happy for you!” Hiromi gushed over the phone. Haru smiled a little cautiously at her friend’s optimism. While she may be modeling Baron’s newest collection there was no guarantee that it would be a success or that it would do anything for her career. She still didn’t even know what his newest collection was. Muta had informed her later that day that Baron liked to keep everyone on their toes about his work, she would just have to wait until the final fitting to see.
Haru had elected to keep Baron’s parting words to her to herself. They seemed too precious to repeat outside her own head just yet.
~@~
The week passed remarkably quickly and at the same time slower than molasses. Everytime Haru thought about the fitting she became a bundle of nerves. Yet no one seemed to realize that Baron had selected her to be his model for his newest collection. For this Haru was glad, some of the more premier models were bullies. 
She arrived on the innocuous doorstep of the building whose address was written on the piece of paper in her hand. It was a lovely old brick building in a fashionable district of London with touches of the art nouveau style. The ground floor was a tasteful looking coffee shop that smelled aromatic and strong. Haru made a mental reminder to visit this cafe sometime in the near future. 
But she wasn’t here for coffee. Instead she pressed the doorbell beside a black door with a large glass window pane and stairway leading up behind it. A few moments later Baron descended the stairs and smiled at her through the window as he unlocked the door.
“Good morning, Miss Haru,” he greeted her.
“Good morning Baron,” Haru replied.
“Come now, we are to be working together, you must call me by my true name.”
Baron stood back and bowed, with remarkable flair for as little room as there was at the foot of the stairwell. 
“I am Humbert von Gikkingen.”
He held out his hand and Haru took it.
“Pleased to meet you!” Haru giggled in delight.
Still holding her hand Baron began to climb the stairs, “come upstairs to my studio, we’re almost ready for you.”
The two went up the stairs hand-in-hand. At the top of the stairs there was another door that opened into a large studio space. More accurately the space was that of a craftsman or an artisan with small hints or being lived in. The space was open with an exposed brick wall in part of the room while other parts had what Haru suspected was Victorian reproduction wallpaper. There was a kitchenette along one wall and along the other wall were whiteboards, peg boards and cork boards filled with sketches, reference photographs, fabric samples, notes, and even a bundle of dried flowers. 
On the floor there were work tables with gridlines and more than one sewing machine. There were studio lights and mannequins and racks filled with hangars with what Haru could only surmise were prototypes to some of Baron’s other designs, covered in white sheets.
Haru was agog. She barely even noticed that there were other people in the room. Muta was setting up a tripod in the back and Toto was leaning against the counter in the kitchenette with a cup in hand, sipping casually.
“It’s wonderful, Baron-Humbert,” Haru said reverently. 
“I’m glad you like it.” Baron gave her another kind smile, disregarding her slip-up.
“She’s certainly more appreciative than some of your other models Baron,” Toto remarked from the kitchenette.
“Indeed,” said Baron.
“She’s going to be wonderful on set.” Came a voice that Haru didn’t recognize. 
“This is Seiji Amasawa, my assistant.” Baron gestured to the man who had spoken. He looked younger than Haru, probably in his last year or two of university. He had a serious face and dark hair and was currently sewing a button onto a cream-colored blouse.
“And over there is Sophie Pendragon, my milliner and haberdasher.” 
Sophie was a young woman with sparkling silver hair and thin, clever fingers. One of her fingers was encircled by a metallic band with a red gemstone.
“We’re looking forward to working with you,” said Sophie. “We’ll be ready in a few minutes.”
Haru nodded and slipped out of her coat which Baron took and hung somewhere behind her.
“You can sit over here.” Baron led her to a plush sofa near the kitchenette.
Would you like milk or lemon in your tea?”
“Milk, please.”
“Good choice.”
“This is my own blend or tea, it’s a little different each time so I can’t guarantee the flavor,” Baron said as he handed her a teacup and saucer.
Haru took a sip. 
“This is the best tea I’ve ever tasted.”
“Then you’re lucky.” Was Baron’s reply.
~@~
Haru drank her tea and soon enough Baron, Seiji, and Sophie had everything ready. Muta and Toto were to be taking notes on lighting and set design and make-up choices. Baron would make note of any final alterations. 
Haru had to admit this was the most interesting fitting she had ever done. There were no mirrors, so she had no idea how she looked. Despite being in and out of the garments she saw very little of them, hardly had any time to savor them. Some lace here, some delicate embroidery there, the weight of beading somewhere. Swishes of satin and silk, the soft heft of linen and cotton. Haru felt her heart patter a little faster with every button fastened.
Somehow everything fit very well. Baron clearly knew what he was doing when he had taken her measurements. Sophie had flitted about experimenting with trimmings and accessories. Seiji had been pinning what little needed further alteration before the shoot.
Haru found herself floating right along with proceedings. Although she answered whatever questions were tossed her way, she found herself too caught up in it all, her eyes were full of stars.
Before long the fitting was over and Haru was taking a taxi back to her apartment. It had started to rain and Baron had insisted she take one. Just as she was about to get in Baron handed her another slip of paper with the details for the photoshoot on it. The time and date and location. 
It was scheduled for the following weekend, four days away. 
Hiromi noticed her friend’s faraway look of awe the moment she returned to their shared apartment. And Hiromi was so relieved to see such an expression on her friend’s face that she let it go without teasing.
=====
Thank you so much for reading! Stay tuned for parts 3 and 4!
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astersatdawn · 1 year
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Nightmares Forged From Fractured Peridots
Relationship: Midoriya Izuku & Sensei | All for One
Rating: Not Rated
Sensei | All for One is Midoriya Hisashi, Bad ending, Izuku has been vaulted, non-consensual (platonic) touch, non-consensual haircut, non-consensual Quirk use, referenced non-consensual drug use
Oneshot (Series) | 8.8k words
What a failure he was. Not able to stop All for One, not able to prevent his own arrest, not able to find his mother or the exit that would let them escape this labyrinth All for One used to trap them. Continuously running in useless circles of conversations with this demon in some desperate attempt to regain control. 
All for One sought a fantasy and deemed all of Izuku’s dreams as illusions in parallel. Izuku hated the tiny part of himself that was scared that those hopes were as futile as All for One insisted they were. 
-
[Or, another day, another failed escape attempt from All for One’s prison, and the consequences that come with Izuku’s failure.]
ao3 link: here
This is a sequel to Brimstone and Emerald Dreams (tumblr/ao3) but it is (probably) not necessary to read that fic before reading this one.
And just like that, it was over again.
He tripped, and then there was a hand wrapped around Izuku’s bicep—it was not a friendly gesture to keep him from falling, but a chain to drag him back to his cell.
“Izuku, what did I say about running in the halls?” All for One chided, maneuvering Izuku to face him as easily as manipulating putty in one’s hands. His other hand clamped onto his other bicep, keeping Izuku firmly in place, even though it was a paralyzing Quirk and not his grip that kept Izuku from running now. “You could get hurt.”
There were plenty of responses he could’ve said to that. He could’ve simply said that it’s too late for that. Izuku could point out the bruises from where his fists pounded against the walls, could point to the dried blood beneath his fingernails and the missing skin from his overly bitten lips. He could point to his own heart, rotting beneath his decaying ribs, or how his flesh sank inward despite how he fought for something more than a bone-brittle existence.
He could even scream about the thunderstorm in his chest, the one that rumbled whenever he was dragged to and fro on a whim, the one that raged when his father spoke of his mother’s treatment, the one that bristled with every patronizing word out of All for One’s mouth, spewing sugar-coated nonsense about the nuclear family he had shattered with his own two hands—how Izuku was always to be his parent’s child, an object to be smothered like he’s nine rather than sixteen.
Assuming he was still sixteen. 
He might be older, he didn’t know. Time is knowledge, and All for One, knowing Izuku is one to protectively cradle every detail close to his chest, would withhold far more than he ever gave, but still led him on with something like the possibility of answers, knowing Izuku would hang off his every word if it meant Izuku could gather one of those sparse fragments.
And All for One had given some answers at first. Not many. Some already known, others new, everything chosen with a meticulousness perfected by time. He’d kept Izuku in stasis as he carried his freshly woken body outside and walked around the barren streets of a city Izuku could not name—the only signs it had been a city once were the abandoned vehicles, the dilapidated storefronts with their half-burnt signs, and the charred scraps of bones and picked at skeletons. 
“I want you to understand where home is now, Izuku. There’s nothing out there for you—nor is there anyone who would accept you as you are, not like me. So stay here. You need to do nothing more than that.”
Maybe everything out there was truly all ashes. Maybe there was nothing, or no one, left for them to find. It was hard to be worried about a what-if when anywhere was better than here—it’s why he had to believe there was something else left out there. A friend, a stranger. Anyone. News to uncover. A sanctuary for two tucked away out of All for One’s sight. A desperation for a better life that kept Izuku running no matter how many times All for One insisted there was nothing better left. The world could not be lost, and their world could not be contained to just this place.  
He wouldn’t let the carefully selected scenery erase his dreams of hope, wouldn’t fall into the trap that was the logic of a megalomaniac man. Giving up on his wishes meant more than giving up on himself. He had to keep trying for the sake of his mother and whoever else still lived and fought another day in All for One’s Japan. 
So the statement “you could get hurt” was the most redundant thing Izuku had heard since he was brought here. It was far too late. Izuku was bruised and bleeding and holding on by the skin of his teeth. 
Telling All for One that truth was out of the question. 
But with the way Izuku was held, unable to move anything but his facial muscles, he knew a response was necessary.
“I know.”
“If you know, then you shouldn’t do it.” All for One sighed. “You’d get hurt less if you just listened to me, Izuku.”
Izuku held back a scoff. It’s obvious All for One wasn’t just referring to running in the halls, or any other prior admonishment for something treated like a childish antic. Ever since Izuku woke up here All for One played up the loving, concerned father as if that’s all it ever was. While he was not wrapped in layers of chains like he had been before, the thinness of his wrists, irregular doses of drugs that kept him even weaker, and the thick walls of the vault did nothing but remind Izuku that, as welcome as he was to be here, this was a prison and not a home, and this place had hurt his family more than enough. 
All for One had implied that obedience—that giving up—would change Izuku’s situation. Claimed that Izuku giving in to every one of All for One’s demands to act as the adoring son would make his quality of life improve, that he would get everything he wanted and that he’d never be in pain again. But Izuku knew better. If he agreed to that he may as well consider himself more corpse than man, for the heart that beat within his chest would no longer be his own. 
If getting more hurt would get him out of here, he would continue to accept that over succumbing to a bleak existence. 
Listening to All for One was not an option—it didn’t matter how frayed the rope Izuku clung to was, all that mattered was getting his mother out, and making sure enough of himself was left to go with her. Letting go—giving up—meant the end.  
He couldn’t give a half-hearted shrug in response, shoulders frozen as they were. Instead, all he did was mumble a quiet “I know.”
“No, you don’t. If you did know that we wouldn’t be here.” All for One’s hands squeezed his arms. “You’re making things far more difficult than they need to be.”
“I know.”
“Do you know how to say anything else?”
“Nothing that I want to tell you, and nothing that you’d listen to.” 
All for One sighed. “You’re proving my point. I’m not your enemy, Izuku. I’m your father—you can trust me.”
“Sure I can,” Izuku muttered, bitterness laced more heavily into his tone than it had been before. 
“What am I going to do with you?” He shook his head. All for One was silent for a long moment. Then he lifted a hand and his fingers were running through Izuku’s hair, curls falling past his chin. “I suppose that can come later. You’re overdue for a haircut.”
“It’s fine—” 
“It’s getting tangled.” All for One tugged on a small tangle to prove his point. “If you’re not going to take care of your hair, you shouldn’t let it get this long.”
Izuku bristled. It’s not like Izuku purposely let it get this unkempt—outside of Izuku’s rebellions, all decisions that should be his were instead ripped away from him. His schedule, from when he ate to when he bathed, were not his to decide. His clothes and appearance were not his to decide. Any tool, be it a comb or a toothbrush, were quickly classified as something Izuku would try and use to help his escape, and thus kept from him. With that structure, Izuku’s only means of managing his hair was with his fingers. 
“I can take care of it.” 
“Clearly not, you’re doing a poor job of it.” All for One ruffled his hair, making it messier than it already was, further empathizing just how much control he exhibited over Izuku’s every choice, or lack thereof. “Come on, let’s get that taken care of.”
Without warning, All for One adjusted his arms and lifted Izuku up. 
“I can walk,” Izuku spat out, unable to kick his way out of the hold. 
“You can, but you don’t need to. I can take care of you.” All for One squeezed Izuku like it was supposed to be a comforting touch. “And considering your display just now, I know you’re not interested in taking a walk.”
“I’ll walk,” Izuku insisted between gritted teeth. 
“And I’ll carry you. I want to take care of you, my little prince.” All for One ran his fingers through Izuku’s hair, passing by the knots that had formed since Izuku’s last struggle to pull them apart, and tilted Izuku’s head towards his chest and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. “I have too much lost time to make up for.”
Time Izuku would rather spend away from him, but he knew saying that would make All for One more unbearable than he already was. Every touch kept his hairs standing on end, the stone in his stomach sinking deeper than it already was. Already, Izuku was sick of it, and it had only been a few minutes. Every disagreement seemed to increase All for One’s clinginess, and considering Izuku had an unwanted haircut coming up, Izuku knew he was nearing his limit of coddling before he said something that would get him a worse punishment than usual. He couldn’t risk losing too many windows of opportunity, not when they were already so limited.  
Tartarus had been a kinder place to him if only because it kept him out of All for One’s clutches for a while, even if that proved to not be enough—how long had it been since Izuku first found himself in captivity, struggling and failing to get free and do what needed to be done? 
What a failure he was. Not able to stop All for One, not able to prevent his own arrest, not able to find his mother or the exit that would let them escape this labyrinth All for One used to trap them. Continuously running in useless circles of conversations with this demon in some desperate attempt to regain control. 
All for One sought a fantasy and deemed all of Izuku’s dreams as illusions in parallel. Izuku hated the tiny part of himself that was scared that those hopes were as futile as All for One insisted they were. 
It continued like that for the next few minutes: Izuku, stuck stiff in All for One’s arms, fingers in his hair, silent and stewing in his resentments while All for One acted all merry. They didn’t go to Izuku’s cell, but a hallway not far from it, that Izuku had already inspected through a mixture of his escape attempts and All for One dragging him around. 
Their destination was a small multi-purpose room, shelves stocked with miscellaneous items ranging from hair care products to silverware. On the opposite wall of the door there was a sink, and above it, a mirror that captured the both of them: Izuku, glaring off into the distance, eyebags and pale skin illuminated by sickly lights, matted hair curling just beneath his chin, held tight like a trophy to All for One’s chest, who smiled not with that of deranged madman’s, but with something almost peaceful. 
Izuku would not be surprised if, before, this room had been a torture chamber, considering the centerpiece was a chair with multiple leather straps hanging off of it, which was right next to a miniature surgical table that already had a pair of scissors and a brush on top; even if it hadn’t been, he certainly felt tortured every time he was brought in here like this.
All for One gently set him down in the chair, and began to restrain Izuku. It was done with a practiced hand, one hand deftly tightening straps and buckles around Izuku’s arms, legs, and chest, while the other was still somewhere on Izuku—his hand, his knee, his shoulder, his head—to keep the paralysis Quirk in use. 
When he was done he ruffled Izuku’s hair and let him go. The second Izuku felt his limbs were his own again he tugged at his restraints, pulling up and forward and squirming no more than an inch. 
“It’s cute that you still think you can escape,” All for One cooed. Izuku felt the brush run through his hair, tugging and pulling with rapid strokes.“You’re not leaving unless I let you, Izuku.” 
“I literally just got out without you letting me.”
“No, you didn’t. You left your room, but you didn’t leave.” A yank. A few strokes more, each growing more gentle than the last, before it stopped altogether. He heard All for One set the brush back down on the table before he  walked over to the shelves, and picked up two bottles to compare. “And even if you found your way to the exit, I know you wouldn’t go, not without Inko.”
Izuku’s nails dug into his palm. He wished it wasn’t so obvious, if only if it meant Izuku knew something All for One didn’t. She had to be in this building, All for One had implied as much, and even if it was a lie, Izuku couldn’t take the risk of leaving her behind in this sort of place. Her presence was another cord for All for One to pull, but also a reward to give if Izuku submitted enough for All for One to attempt recreating the sham of a family he so desperately wanted. 
And he had seen her, more than once, since that condition became clear. 
Part of him hated that fact. He had fallen so far that he’d been seen as compliant, and yet, seeing his mother reignited him more than memory ever would. It was hard for those dinners not to, seeing the wariness in her darting eyes, her gentle voice gone mouse-quiet and fragile, resignation a heavy mantle on her shoulders, as playing her part meant she could see Izuku again. The truth of the matter was, as much as she was tether and treat for him, so too was he treat and tether for her. 
Every minute, every word, and every touch, was just another opportunity for both of them to break, and compliance meant falling apart faster—Izuku could only hope that his choice to keep fighting would give her the strength to not give up all the hope she had left. 
“...Where is she?”  
All for One settled on one of the bottles and grabbed a towel before heading back towards Izuku’s side.  
“Do you really think I’m going to tell you that?” The towel flapped out of sight before All for One tucked it around Izuku’s shoulders. “We just established her location is your goal with your escapades, Izuku.” 
From somewhere behind him, he could hear the squeak of a faucet, and then the rush of water splashing against the bottom of the sink. It wasn’t a consistent stream, as he could hear the water shifting as All for One’s hands moved under the water. 
“When will I see her?”
An amused huff. “You should know by now disobedient children don’t get what they want.”
“She’s my mother. If you’re going to discipline me then she should be involved.” 
“And you don’t need to see her for her to be involved, Izuku. You should know parents discuss things without their children.” Abruptly the back of the chair was pulled down, and Izuku’s eyes shut as warm water fell onto his forehead. All for One’s hands were back in Izuku’s hair. Instinctively Izuku tried to pull his head away, only for All for One to drag his head down more firmly into the basin, before using the Quirk to keep Izuku still. “You seem quite desperate to make some sort of progress today. Any particular reason for that?”  
The answer was a contradictory matter: there was a reason, in the same way there wasn’t one at all. A realization had struck him as he lay awake, waiting for the illusive mercy of sleep, that Izuku had no milestones to measure the length of his imprisonment. Izuku did not know when the last time he saw the sun or the stars was. He had no way to count the days, no concept of time—All for One made certain of that; the limited light in his cell never changed, and when his pacing and plotting became tiring Izuku tried to sleep with little way to distinguish between a minute and an hour. He had no clue how much time had passed between his imprisonment in Tartarus and the first day he woke up here—all he had was the memory of passing out in heavy chains in his tiny cell and waking up to the echoing chill of metal walls and the warm hand of a familiar-stranger Izuku never wanted to speak to again.  
All he had were those questions that he gathered and guesswork swirling inside him and melding into a desperate voice that slithered through him. Pick up the pace, his heart had hammered. Every minute here is a minute too long, every minute spent is another you fail to save somebody else, his toes restlessly curled tighter. You’re not supposed to be this useless again, get out, get out, get out, and his guts would spill out between his fidgeting hands, as he uselessly stared at walls for hours and hours as if waiting for sleep or death or salvation despite knowing he was the only one able to fight for it.   
Inaction built up every word, until the rambunctiousness of that inner voice had driven him to do something, anything, to get them one step closer to freedom, to find quiet in the adrenaline that guided him down labyrinthe halls, eager to find something more than fragmented hope. 
And instead he failed again. 
Now that voice was knocking, and despite the many ways All for One had to make Izuku’s body another prison, he could never capture his mind and silence a voice not even Izuku could quell. 
“No,” Izuku replied, and it couldn’t even be considered a lie.
“Nothing at all?” All for One hummed.  “There’s no shame in saying you simply miss your parents.”
“I only have a mother worth missing,” Izuku snapped before he could think. 
The hands in Izuku’s hair froze. Nails dug into his scalp, and a thick glob of horror swelled in his throat. 
He knew this would happen, had known coming into this room was a minefield ready to burst, and yet he walked right onto it anyway. There would be no simple, straight-forward punishment for this, Izuku knew that, too. 
“Oh? Then what about your father, Izuku? What am I worth to you?” 
Panicked eyes stared up at All for One, who stared down at him with a predatory smile and chilling gaze. It made Izuku aware of just how close they were—that if Izuku were anyone else, the hands on his head may have already pierced through his skull, uncaring for the mess that’d be left behind. 
Just as Izuku was desperate for escape from him, so too was All for One desperate for the affection of those he called his. The cost to them did not matter, not if it meant getting what he wanted, and denying him even the illusion of it invited the threat to return and rip away something more to get what he desired.
There had been one time before when Izuku had said something that caused All for One to snap like this. What exactly he had said was an answer left behind somewhere between heavy doses of drugs and darkness, but he knew it was something about All for One not being his father—something that opposed the illusion, and Izuku learned the best tactic was simply avoiding such topics altogether. 
And yet, here he was, implying this man had more value by not being around at all. A perfect contradiction to All for One’s disturbed fantasy.
What did he do here? Did he try to backtrack and appeal to All for One? 
No. He couldn’t—not even if he wanted to. Lies had never been his strong suit, but his honesty was still a fine line to balance. He was already due for an extension of the usual punishment, but now that he was in this more dangerous territory, he knew he could inadvertently drag his mother down with him if he didn’t take even a second to think. 
He didn’t mind digging the hole for himself just a little deeper if it meant making sure his mother stayed out of it.  
“I—mom might disagree, but I wish you never came back.”
Other words boiled in his stomach, words better left in the past Izuku could not completely bury, damning ones he vowed to never say, ones he hated himself for even thinking as he had searched his mind for excuses: I regret having missed you—loving you, thinking you were someone I wanted around. 
“How harsh, Izuku. To think you’d say such a thing after all I’ve done for you.”
“What you’ve done for me?” Izuku snarled. Snapshots of memories flashed across his vision: eager Quirk dissections on the couch after a long day and a mocking voice gleefully recounting a massacre, a warm meal for three with bites taken between chatter and laughter and desecrated cities beyond what they eye could see, birthday wishes that reminded him he wasn’t alone and isolated time lost in cold metal prisons, bedtime stories detailing dragons and sorcerers and suffocating visions of the death featuring people he loved. None of that had ever been for Izuku, no matter how often All for One said it was, no matter what Izuku once believed it to have been. All those resurfaced hurts and sickening thoughts festered within him. “You’ve done nothing, I wish you were a deadbeat—it’d be better if you were dead—”
Izuku’s jaw clamped shut without his permission. The dangerous expression on All for One’s face didn’t twitch, even though Izuku’s forced silence was a response enough that Izuku had not only crossed a line, but barreled far past the cliff’s edge. Without a word he shut the water off and lifted the back of Izuku’s chair back into a sitting position, and Izuku didn’t even have a second to orient himself before he was spun around so that he was face to face with All for One. He took Izuku’s face in his hands, cradled his cheeks and drew his gaze up to meet his. 
“What an unheroic sentiment from you, Izuku.” A chill ran through Izuku, hair standing on end, in response to such a cold voice. A drop of water trickled down his nose and crawled to his chin. “I’d almost be proud, but we don’t wish for death for our family, even in anger. Do you understand me?”
He felt a weight lift off his tongue, though it didn’t feel like less of one, considering it simply sank past his pounding heart and into his stomach instead. “Yes.”
“What was that? I can’t hear you, Izuku.” 
“Yes,” he said louder. Yet All for One’s expression did not shift, and Izuku knew at that moment he was expecting something more: appeasement. Izuku had seen All for One like this once before, only days after Izuku woke up here; once was enough to know it wasn’t worth ignoring again—he’d almost lost his chance for any opening to escape at all. He knew he wouldn’t be so lucky a second time. He was too close to teetering back into the very same darkness he was trying to avoid. One more wrong word, and he knew he’d never see light again.
A shaky inhale, a trembling heart—how useless of it to waver only now. How pathetic it was that he had to grovel at all, to cave into demands he had been clawing against not even a minute before. A hurried exhale—again, again—not fast enough as thumbs rubbed into bone. A desperate gulp—it was all simply another heavy stone to swallow. 
“Yes, dad. I’m sorry.”
How quiet those words were, syllables ashes on his tongue. The inflection probably didn’t matter—in the end, it was just another victory for All for One. Words had power, and for all the defiance Izuku could spout, if he was forced to kneel long enough to keep himself afloat, All for One would consider it another step closer to the obedient puppet All for One wanted him to be.
The strings dictating Izuku’s life were not all his to control anymore—one by one All for One plucked at the cords that created Izuku’s core, and as much as they vibrated with resistance, one day, Izuku suspected, All for One would be fed up because, as much as he tried, Izuku would never be what All for One so wished him to be. 
Izuku could not be here when that patience snapped. He’d already poked at the edges of it, and he was scared to find out what would happen to Izuku and his mother when he couldn’t bounce back. Yet, there was no telling how long All for One’s patience would last—while All for One was ancient, even he could not be forever patient, not when Izuku’s lifespan was far more limited than his. 
“Very good, Izuku.” The worst of the menacing aura faded, but Izuku knew it still lingered. He’d be walking on a thin tightrope until he was alone in his cell. “Thank you for your apology. You’re forgiven.”
For now went unspoken.
As if a final act of reconciliation, rather than the prize All for One saw it as, All for One held him like he was a pet owner comforting a sodden dog, petting his hair and holding him close. Izuku felt tears rise to his eyes, but these were not tears of relief. 
They were tears for all the things Izuku could never say, for all the pieces of himself he had to neglect to make sure they had a chance at getting out of here, for all of his failures and the mistakes he couldn’t name.
All for One would claim them as his, though. Tears for the regret of harsh words, for an imagined, repeating, grief if he were to leave Izuku again—even if both of them knew that was not the truth. 
They would both dream. All for One dreaming for it to one day be true, Izuku dreaming for the day he and his mother got the freedom they longed for. And in those dreams they lived, clashing and coexisting, determined to achieve their reality, utilizing every tool to reach their goals, and snuffing the other’s out until there was nothing of it left. 
Fingers threaded through his hair, and after minutes too long, All for One let him go. A wistful sigh. “Well, we do need to resume your haircut. I’d rather it doesn’t dry first—unless you have any objections?”
Another test. Izuku’s eyes flickered down to his lap. “...no.”
A doubtful hum.
“I need a haircut,” Izuku murmured. 
“That’s right, my little prince, you do.” In the corner of his eyes Izuku watched All for One pick up the scissors. Something twisted in his stomach—the scissors were less dangerous than All for One’s hands on him, and yet, the sight of something that could so easily be turned into a weapon left him even more unsettled. He wondered if it was because, once, he had been comforted by All for One’s physical affections, or if it was because he’d grown so used to them again; he hated the part of himself that wondered those things—it was the same part of him that didn’t offer another possibility that was kinder to his heart. “I’ll take care of you.”
A sharper twist. Izuku swallowed his tongue, and even though he was restrained but not paralyzed, he didn’t move an inch.
All for One’s movements were slow and thoughtful, but that didn’t keep him from chatting between each snip. 
A question about Izuku’s thoughts on a Quirk theory. Snip. Asking how Izuku enjoyed the book All for One had been reading to him. Snip, snip.  A harsh, off-handed reference to a hero Izuku admired—nails digging into palm and a clenched jaw. Snip. A quiz on the applications of a gravity Quirk that didn’t feel as theoretical as All for One tried to make it sound; tears bubbling within lowered eyes—a shaky breath as Izuku gave a careful answer. Snip.
Izuku felt a bundle of strands fall onto the back of his palm. Snip. They shook in time with every snip. Snip, snip, snip. His hair was pulled back and his skull jostled with it—the lost hair fell off of his hand and drifted onto the floor, featherlight and free. Snip. A hand on his cheek, the turn of his head. Snip. Up, down, pulled around gently like a little doll. Snip. Snip. 
Hot whirling air in his ear, something running through his hair. A chill as it dissipated. The room seemed to grow colder and colder as All for One kept swiping at his hair. Snip. The circling of a vulture around Izuku as if he were a corpse ripe for the picking. A passing thought spoken aloud Izuku had no response for. Something metallic set down.  
Hands on his cheeks and the edge of breath—they were so warm, but Izuku longed for the cold again. 
“Oh, you look so cute Izuku.” A kiss to his forehead and the ruffling of his hair. All for One moved to stand behind Izuku, one hand curled over his shoulder and the other under his chin nudged his gaze back up. “And so much like your father.” 
Izuku barely recognized himself in that mirror.
His hair was short, just a bit shorter than Izuku had ever let it get. It had always been a deliberate choice to never let it get cut to this length. Even as a child, this short curly hair had reminded him of his father. It may not have been as nightmarish when he was small, but now that Izuku knew more, having the similarities between them so starkly presented made him sick.
He could see the hint of his sharpening jaw, the shape of his eyebrows, the curve of his ear—similarities Izuku could hide when his hair was just a little longer. Before his imprisonment, he’d been considering letting it grow out even more, as if his thick hair could bury his secrets. Now even that choice was ripped away from him, and Izuku was forced to confront the things he never wanted to face.
Ignorance was not an option, not when All for One wanted to engrave this truth into Izuku’s very soul.
“Your father did a great job, didn’t he, Izuku?” 
A prompt, and Izuku knew he couldn’t risk ignoring it. Not after earlier. Bile soured his throat. “Yeah. Thank you.” 
“You’re welcome, Izuku.” All for One pat his cheek. Through the reflection Izuku could feel All for One’s unrelenting stare. What All for One saw at that moment, Izuku didn’t know—he didn’t want to know. Whatever delusion All for One saw fulfilled in this moment was one Izuku never wanted to understand. “You’ve had quite the eventful excursion today—it’s time we get you back to your room.”
All for One spun the chair around to face him and then reached for the first of the latches. Izuku remained still as they came undone, one by one. Twitched as the last one came undone, and froze again as he saw All for One’s expression: taunting, expectant—ready to make Izuku’s existence more miserable, even if that’s the last thing All for One would call it. 
Izuku remained seated. 
A hand ruffled his hair, and Izuku flinched at the touch. A light twitch of the lip, but All for One made no comment about it. 
Careful inhale—shaky, quiet, exhale. Izuku’s hands curled into tight fists. How pathetic it felt to be compliant, how much his heart raged and his mind screeched louder the echoes of every error that got him here, but even more clear was the one voice reminding him that if he didn’t leave himself the possibility of opportunity, there would be no chance he would save his mother, let alone himself. He had to get her out of here, no matter what. 
Izuku moved, slowly, eyes on All for One, whose face betrayed nothing, to get out of the chair. Every movement felt like a test, even as Izuku simply stood up before All for One. Not running. Now wasn’t the time to go, even if he wished it was. Even if Izuku wasn’t monitoring his every twitch with such intensity, he would know now would be a poor time to run, even if earlier he would have tried to catch All for One off guard anyway.
Once it was clear Izuku wasn’t running, All for One’s smile grew and he ruffled his hair. Some demented reward—a pat on the back for All for One, a signifier of victory that Izuku had been forced to hand over. Then did nothing else; expectant, again, and this time, Izuku had no guesses as to what.
Izuku shifted on his feet, warily eyeing the space between All for One and the door. There’s no way All for One would let him walk back unsupervised, especially not after the conversation earlier. A step out of line, and Izuku could imagine the dark encroaching on him, the heavy restraints—cold stillness and warm adjustments—the sharp pain in his elbow keeping him half-lucid, and his mother’s crying voice—whatever this was now was the true tipping point.
Don’t mess up. Run. You’ve taken too many risks today—no, not enough. Ignore your instincts. They’re the only thing keeping you both alive and safe. They’ve ruined this attempt. Move, freeze, figure it out, figure it out. 
“Um…” Izuku hated speaking first. Not only was initiating the conversation the last thing Izuku ever wanted to do, but it was inherently a risk. All for One waited for the day Izuku spoke to him of his own free will of mundane things, but when that day was nowhere in Izuku’s foreseen future, it meant more conversational minefields to maneuver than normal. “Was there, uh… something else…?”
The only response was All for One’s poker face—still smiling, not telling if Izuku tipped towards total damnation or his ability to fight another day. 
Izuku hated it, but he hoped he had the right card to play to get the clue he was missing.
“Um… Dad..?” His voice cracked.
“Sorry Izuku, I was simply lost in thought,” he said with absolutely no sincerity, but his tone didn’t sound as menacing as before—Izuku didn’t breathe easy, but he didn’t feel like he was about to be thrown off a cliff. “You’re quite eager to get going, aren’t you?”
“Um…” Sounding eager translated to wanting to get away from All for One, which while undeniably true, was always the wrong thing to say. His brain scrambled for some reasonable excuse. “I… I’m just… tired. Sorry.”
Something flashed behind All for One’s eyes, but before Izuku could decipher its meaning, it was gone.
“Oh why didn’t you say so?” Like it was an invitation, All for One swept Izuku off his feet again. His arm was already out to strike out when he froze, the answer hitting him far later than it should’ve. 
Because of course this was what All for One was after—no matter what Izuku tried, he never let Izuku walk between rooms without restraints that kept him from running, and especially not after any escape attempt. Today, the restraint was All for One himself. He probably only let Izuku get away without directly asking All for One because Izuku called him dad without prompting.
Izuku did not want to decide if asking All for One to carry him or calling him dad was the worse choice of the two. 
With robotic stiffness Izuku lowered his arm, and All for One chuckled. “You seem surprised.”
“It—it was just sudden…” Izuku stared at his twined hands. 
“Hmm. You certainly seem more tired—you’re quieter than usual.” Was that an admonishment or not? Izuku couldn’t tell. He raised his shoulders in a short-lived shrug. All for One adjusted his grip to make Izuku lean closer to him. “We should get you to bed.”
An underlying implication—no meal first. 
It was a minor punishment; it had been an internal debate in the earliest days, to eat the food provided to him or not. It was better than the prison gruel he’d been living off before—sometimes it was even recognizable as his mother’s own cooking, which was something that he couldn’t bring himself to reject regardless of the circumstances—but accepting any of it still felt like some sort of concession, especially when each meal was a roulette wheel of if he’d be taking another dose of drugs Izuku could not name. 
In the end, Izuku knew if he wanted to get the two of them out of here, he needed to build up the strength he lost while in Tartarus, even if the efforts felt futile, and he was, at best, kept at a too-weak baseline. 
It also meant this would likely get back to his mother, and he knew she hated seeing him hurt himself in that way. It hurt her emotionally, and made Izuku feel guilty when he hadn’t before—a small, but effective punishment. He could feel that guilt settling in his stomach now, his mother’s face on the forefront of his mind.
“Okay,” he murmured, even quieter, trying to sound more tired than he felt. 
Maybe this was the best outcome of the day’s events. While he made far too many mistakes today, it seemed  All for One might be leaving him alone sooner than he would’ve had Izuku not made such a massive blunder. 
All for One still filled the silence as they made their way back. Izuku was careful with his responses, slower—easily explained with the cover he’d given himself earlier. It didn't take long before the door to his cell opened again, and he was once again back at where he started.  
All for One set him on the bed in the corner of the room, and took his time to tuck Izuku in like he was a toddler again. He fidgeted with each movement, but didn’t outright stop it, even as All for One ruffled his hair and Izuku felt the back of his head sink further into his pillow. 
“Um… night..?” 
“Sleep well,” All for One said, giving no hint to what the actual time was.
Izuku closed his eyes, and listened for the sound of All for One leaving.
And waited.
And waited.
He wasn’t leaving, was he?
Izuku tried to keep his breathing even. He knew All for One had seen him asleep, but he’s not going to open his eyes to check if All for One is watching him fall asleep—or just watching him in general. That unsettling feeling creeping over Izuku’s skin was enough of an answer, even if in another scenario someone may have brushed it off as paranoia. 
This wasn’t exactly unusual. He would never get used to the staring; it was uncomfortable as it was normal. 
Worse, he knew All for One knew his status because of Search. Even when he tried to fake it, he’d know if Izuku was really asleep or awake—not like being in either state would change the situation. It truly didn’t matter to All for One, and that may have been the worst part of it all; it never mattered what Izuku did, his existence alone was enough for All for One’s attention to be on Izuku. 
This may have been another punishment in of itself. Izuku would have gotten back up a few minutes after All for One left and started pacing—there were too many pent up feelings inside him to sleep. When he was moving it was easier to focus on what he needed to do next; trying to sleep made it too easy to spiral into the past. 
It was no surprise he didn’t sleep often.
Only when Izuku’s thoughts became so incoherent that they stumbled over themselves did Izuku find himself passing out for unknowable lengths of time. If none of the words inside of him could be understood, there would be no regrets to linger on while he rested. 
All for One staring at him, combined with the restlessness simmering inside of him, meant there was no way Izuku would stop thinking, let alone sleep.
Could he think himself into unconsciousness? Plan and review ideas for future escape attempts with All for One sitting so close to him? Could those ideas get so loud they’d drown out all else—would they consume him if he let them ring loud enough? 
Something ran through his hair and Izuku nearly jumped out of his skin. “Trouble sleeping? Would it help if I sang a lullaby?”
Izuku kept his eyes closed if only so he didn’t glare at All for One. “...if you want.”
The fingers in his hair toyed with his curls as All for One began to sing something low and familiar—something from a collection of vague memories, so distant it was easy to forget. Nightmares hadn’t been strangers, even as a child. From his youth they had clung onto him, never letting go, growing from tigers to monsters with every year that had passed. 
And in those moments, when his weakness was made transparent in the dark, it was not always his mother he ran to.
He remembered a hand in his hair like this, shaking as his fingers sunk into fabric desperate for an anchor. As tightly as he held on, so too was he held, shielded from all other eyes, as Izuku would find comfort in a heartbeat and that low voice that always sang this same rhythm. He’d been so small back then, so small and unknowing, so easy to carry back to his room—”you need to let go of me now, sweetie,” his mother squeezed him as she set him back on the floor. 
He looked up at her, clutching the bottom of her skirt. “But I don’t wanna.”
She laughed, and with such a gentle smile, she spoke, “I think you’ll like what’s out there.”
Izuku glanced toward the door in the distance, soft sunlight peeking beneath the gap in the bottom. The light looked nice, but he couldn’t help but glance back up at his mother. “But what about you?”
“What about me?” 
“I don’t wanna leave mama alone.”
“You won’t be.” She crouched down to meet his eyes. “Because I know you’ll come back after you have some fun, and then the two of us will be together again.” 
Something tugged at his soul, and he looked back towards the door. His tiny fingers began to unfurl, but didn’t let her go. “You won’t be lonely?”
“No.” She smiled. Slowly, he let her go. “Have a good day, Izuku.”
He grabbed the handle, cold beneath his scarred hand. Yet he couldn’t help but look back, find a reason to stay a moment longer, extend this conversation before he was forced to leave her again. “Do I look okay mom?”
His mother shuffled closer, muttering something under her breath as she fixed his tie. “You look great, my little hero. Now get going, or you’ll be late.” 
“Okay, I’m going, I’m going. I’ll come back.” It felt like such a heavy promise, even though he wasn’t going far. 
“I know.” 
He opened the door and stepped into his classroom. Immediately, a group of heads gathered in the far back corner lifted up and met his eyes.
“Deku!” Uraraka waves.
“Midoriya-kun! Please be mindful of the time! You were almost late!” 
“There’s seven minutes before class starts.” 
“That’s two minutes before the five minute bell! Students should arrive at least 30 minutes early—”
“Isn’t that a little overkill prez?” 
Iida launched into a lecture about the merits of arriving early, and while Izuku let the lecture fade into the background, thinking about how much Iida cared about all of them soothed him. He went around the classroom greeting his classmates: smiles and laughter and previous days discussed—Kacchan’s words gruff and dismissive even as he leaned towards the closest conversation to listen, Todoroki’s quiet recollection of his most recent visit to his mother, Uraraka cheerfully recounting a few great sales she and Tsuyu stumbled upon as they wandered the mall the day before, Jirou recommending music to Kaminari and Yaoyorozu leading into a discussion on synesthesia, the updated score for Kirishima and Ojiro’s recent set of arm wrestling matches, another match demanded with Ashido and Hagakure cheering them both on, Satou passing out treats, each uniquely decorated and getting thoughtful compliments and gushing excitement and gratitude from the rest of his classmates.
“I missed this,” the words slipped out of Izuku’s mouth.
“Missed what?” 
“I… I don’t know.” Izuku shook his head. He set a hand above his chest—for such a lovely moment, his heart seemed so still. His fingertips felt so cold, yet his chest, unbeating as it was, felt so warm. Tears slipped out from his eyes, and he brushed it aside, watching it dry on his flesh as if it could give him an answer for why peacefulness felt so foreign. “But… but, I’m here now, so—” 
A startled gasp, a tight tug on his scalp—Izuku scrambled to sit up but his limbs locked in place, his body manipulated by hands that weren’t his. 
His pillow was gone. Instead, his head rested on All for One’s lap, and now he stared up at him, utterly frozen beneath that cold anger that had no origin Izuku could name. 
Yet, as quickly as that anger had appeared, it was gone, and All for One stroked the top of his head as if to heal the lingering aches. “It’s good to see you awake, Izuku.”
He slept? No, of course he had—pieces of the dreams still lingered, even if the gentleness that had tried to hold him was quickly fading into a longing ache paired with a quiet apprehension. But if he had been asleep, what had bothered All for One so much to wake Izuku up so violently?
“While you were asleep, I spent some time contemplating your punishment.” Of course everything before now hadn’t been enough—his teeth clenched, trying to figure out what could be coming, even if the alarm in the back of his mind already told him, if it was coming so suddenly like this, it wasn’t meant to be guessed. “Your sudden bout of tiredness gave me an epiphany, and so I decided that this time, I’d choose your punishment based on a gamble.” 
“A gamble?” Izuku echoed. What sort of gamble would All for One make while he was asleep?
All for One’s hand cradled his cheek, his thumb tracing the dark eyebags beneath Izuku’s lids. “Truthfully, I never liked watching you sleep, Izuku. My time with you was already limited, and even more was taken from me whenever you needed to rest. I had a choice to make when you were younger: did I let you keep a regular sleep cycle, and risk you running away from me as you grew older, or did I trap you within your delusions but knowing you’d physically always be close by? I made my choice, and we’re here now as a consequence of that.” 
Izuku shuddered—had he really been that close to being imprisoned in his own mind as a child? 
Then, a worse thought: there was a reason this was coming up now, and an unsettled dread crept through his veins. 
“But now I realize—neither of those had been the right answer at all. And so, that brings us to my gamble. I wondered how much your dreams changed, my little prince, and so, I decided to find out. Lullaby, Deepened Sleep, Dream Toggler, Gentle Dream, Dream Reader—all of those Quirks to test your subconscious. If they showed something I liked, then I’d keep things as they were before, and pick a different punishment.”
A gamble Izuku was always destined to lose, then. All for One would be the delusional one between the two of them if he had truly expected any other outcome—but maybe, the more likely truth was that All for One knew the outcome of his self-made bet from the start. If he hated his previous decision in hindsight, and found a better solution during the perfect time to implement it, there was no way All for One would pick any other alternative.
Even more violating was the fact that the kindest dream he’s had since he’d arrived was no longer only his to remember. 
Maybe Izuku should be more surprised that his dreams were intruded upon. Yet, with All for One’s obsessive need for control, it was surprising it had taken this long—already, his body was not always his own to move, and sometimes words he never wanted to say were ripped from his throat. So how long would Izuku’s mind be his sole solace from that control? How long did he have before even his every thought was overheard? 
“You’re familiar with the gift I gave your uncle, and I’ve decided I’m going to give you a similar one.”
“A Quirk?” Izuku couldn’t hide the horror in his voice—it was both an inexplicable worst case scenario and one that didn’t make any sense. “You—you can’t get that back, not without—”
Not without taking One for All. 
“I won’t need it until you’re ready, Izuku. Until then, I’d rather you hold onto it—it’s called Sleepless. Its purpose is rather simple: you don’t have to sleep anymore, Izuku—you won’t be able to even when you want to.’
That… that didn’t sound like the worst thing. He may not be able to escape his own thoughts, but more time awake meant more time planning to escape and getting out of here. He had to be missing something—there’s no way it could be that simple. 
“The best part of that Quirk is that, despite the purpose of that Quirk, it doesn’t grant any immunity to sleeping Quirks. You’ll still be able to sleep when I need you to, Izuku.” All for One tapped the skin next to Izuku’s eyeballs. “Maybe with this those eyebags of yours will finally clear up.”
Izuku’s eyebrows furrowed. “When…  when you need me to?”
“That’s right. Unlike before, I can spend all your waking hours with you, and when I have to go away, you can finally sleep. You won’t be able to use that convenient excuse to get out of spending time with your father. We can be together for as long as we want—isn’t that great, Izuku?”
Izuku stared up at him, wide-eyed with horror and rage. Every muscle in his body yelled with desperate need to fight, to resist; his skeleton desperate to rip away from his flesh and bring Izuku’s mutilated body somewhere out of All for One’s reach. But he couldn’t even shake his head, couldn’t even snarl every word trapped within his clogged throat. That demented, gleeful smile peered down at him, fully aware of the turmoil in Izuku’s gut, but eager to achieve an unexpected checkmate. 
Every waking moment spent with All for One, trapped in stasis when he wasn’t. Every expectation of Izuku’s imprisonment had just been turned on its head. Up until now every plot, every attempt, had been made when All for One’s eyes were drawn away from him. Maneuvering around All for One’s moods on a semi-regular basis was difficult, but if he had to spend all his time doing that?
When would he have the time to figure something out? How could he sneak away when All for One would watch his every move more closely than before? 
Izuku hadn’t thought there was a worse punishment than being half-aware in the dark—didn't think this situation could get any worse at all.
All for One’s hand fell over his face, could see the streaks of red light as something shoved its way through Izuku’s flesh, only had one thought as the sickly taste of Sleepless crammed itself into his skull, and its influence spread its roots beneath his eyes.  
He was wrong. 
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peridots-pixiwolf · 1 year
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Highly doubt I’m the first one to point this out with seven months since act II released but. y’know the sentient terminal theory from the p-1 entry
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[Start ID. An ULTRAKILL screenshot of the terminal at the end of the level 5-3: SHIP OF FOOLS. It has been tipped over on its side from the Leviathan capsizing the ship, and its Tip of the Day has been replaced with the word “Ow.” End ID]
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Okay same anon from the Peridot with y/n that defys logic request like they defy gravity have taken off there head and made clones of it just to juggle and brought back a dinosaurs
Shed be astoNished how in the slname of the stars ate you doing that she of course wouldnt belive that its magic or any of that nonsense there would be a sientific explanation there had to be.
she would break into their house steal bits and peaices of clothing and collect dna samples
(and sometimes just to sleep with them and leave before they woke up)
she would definitley have to be more cautious when kidnapping them. she would spend months trying to find out every single of of their powers researching and looking at every single one of their powers until she had some way to contain them she may even surrender herself to the Crystal gems on a few conditions of course of them being acsses to their contaminate feilds
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peridyke · 11 months
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was talking to my gf awhile ago about how when drawing peridot you can't let your perceptions of what her design might look like realistically control you lest you end up with something uncanny and unsatisfying you have to play along with their rules of how she looks regardless of how nonsensical it is. learning to draw peridot is its own art form really
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Earlier we asked about your military buddies to Del, mind telling me about some of them with bit more detail?
“Oh boy, those space cadets, haha! Where to start…? Let’s see… I guess to start, their names. There’s Adam Peridot, Tim Bassin and Rob Koopman .~ We all met when we first got enrolled in the military together, we were all roommates in the same bunker.
“Adam can be a bit no nonsense but whenever it comes to having fun, he knows to put down that persona and to enjoy himself.”
“Tim, heh, now he’s the goofy one. Won’t lie, out of all of us, he was the one that got into the most trouble on camp but when he gets serious, he won’t let ya down.”
“And then with Rob, he’s a man who’s all heart like me! And it’s because of that that we get along very well! I’d say that we act a lot like brothers on many occasions, but then again I can say that for all these knuckleheads.”
“They’re some of the few people who didn’t care about who I was or what I identified as OR about the fact that I was in a serious relationship with another man.”
“These bozos were with me through thick and thin till they all met the end of their lives in the living before I did, and now that we’re all in the Afterlife together, we just got even closer due to the freedom and lack of worry we have here.~”
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vinylroadsjunction · 2 years
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Sorry it was “harem” hdfukbhsfjlhvkjfe (speaking of which, what is the personalities of the other Paraiba Tourmalines and Galaxites?)
Paraibas are fiercely loyal to the empire. They strongly believe in the gems' superiority over "weaker" lifeforms. They also don't care much about their underlings. Lesser Tourmalines are like rubies and amethysts, thus expendable if it means achieving victory. Paraibas also might have a natural rivalry with Scapolites and Emeralds (particularly emeralds tho).
Galaxites are often quiet and no-nonsense. They expect efficiency and precision from their Peridots. When they're not busy organizing or leading the staff, they're often studying the stars and seek potential planets to extract resources from, or upgrading star navigation systems for the ships.
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motownfiction · 2 years
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1, 4, 12 for sam & sadie!
for ✨sam✨
five favorite foods
mallomars
pepperoni pizza
cheetos (the crunchy kind)
strawberries (he needs something that's kind of healthy)
very hot, very crispy french fries
five memories they would rather forget about
breaking up with steph
charlie's piano recital in '77, when he figured out he was his mother's unfavorite son
that time he tried to start up summer plans with everyone after work at 7-eleven when they were 19, but they didn't have time for him anymore
walking in on sadie and daniel making out. didn't matter that they were twenty-five and married at the time. still not cool.
the time he tried to use "me and my arrow" by harry nilsson, of all songs and all artists in the world, to convey to will that he had a crush on him. he was thirteen, but in hindsight, cringe. it makes him cringe.
prized posessions
his first edition copy of abbey road
the copy of the myth of sisyphus he accidentally stole from carrie sullivan
his t-shirt from the for those about to rock tour in late 1981 (the first concert he went to with steph)
his friendship bracelet from elenore, most beloved goddaughter
his record player, obviously!
for ✨sadie✨
five favorite foods
very hot, very crispy french fries (she is sam's twin, after all!)
hershey bar pie from burger king
whole wheat toast with butter and raspberry jam
ribs, but only if her dad is making them in the backyard
apples, as long as they're not red delicious
five memories they would rather forget about
getting the call that sam had been in a car accident
sam's funeral
yelling at daniel for "letting the kids swim in the pool during a thunderstorm" (he didn't, it just happened to thunderstorm while they were at the club, he got them out in time, there's a whole scene about it)
charlie wandering into her house drunk on christmas in 2003, blaming her for sam's death for some nonsensical reason
her youngest son, billy, announcing that he was going to go to penn state for college (he's twenty-four and back in the detroit area now, but she missed him!)
prized posessions
photograph of her and sam on the day of their high school graduation (a day sam swore would live in infamy)
the university of michigan sweatshirt that lucy got her when they decided to go to school there in '85
any artwork her kids ever made
her peridot engagement ring, which she picked out herself (yes i retconned sadie and daniel's engagement story. the thing i came up with later is better lol)
the necklace she had made of the key to her parents' house after they moved to florida in '03
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techie-waterwitch · 11 months
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pearl, cinnabar, peridot (for lapis >:] )
Send “Talk about-” and a name for my muse to talk about that person!
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"Hmm. Well, it's such a mystery who decided to send this one I'm sure."
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"Guess I'll go in order to put things simply I actually have a small grudge against Pearl if I'm honest. If that's not something I haven't established enough with my many, many, hints. She does everything with the attitude of a human soccer mom but I guess I'd get to know her if she wanted that. Bossy and preachy."
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"Cinna's a good friend of mine. I have a little bit of stroke saying her full name so I'm sticking to this way. "Cinna" and I go back to my earlier days of just starting out as a Crystal Gem at least, officially. She didn't like my nonsense at first, buuut~ I think eventually I grew on her like a barnacle."
"She's the last gem that people would expect someone of my free spirit to end up being good friends with; I'm a little perplexed myself that we made it work. I'm helping her with her confidence as crazy and far-fetched as that sounds coming from Me."
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"Peri's one of the good ones as far as former roommates go. There's not a thing that I would change. She really had to work hard to break down my walls and gain my trust being my former captor; Today we are getting passed that just like I've done my fair share of toxic shit I'm not proud of. Peridot's strong even when she seems like she doesn't know what she's doing there's some kind of Peri-Plan that throws me for a loop. She's one of the deepest friendships I've had in my life maybe even a little more than that."
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