#rambling about the butterfly effect in adventure time

[anthurak]

Funny thing I’ve recently realized: With just two minor changes in events, you could negate basically ALL of the major arcs/conflicts in Adventure Time post-Islands.

First, Finn doesn’t accidentally stab the Finn Sword with the Grass Sword during his fight with Bandit Princess in I Am a Sword.

Second, Patience St. Pim doesn’t walk in on Ice King and Betty while they’re hanging that we see in the flashbacks of Bespoken For.

The first point is pretty easily to explain. No Finn stabbing the Finn Sword means no grass demon corrupting and merging with the Finn Sword to create Fern. So everything with Fern just goes ‘poof’.

The second point on the other hand is a bit more complicated: To start, Patience not meeting Betty means she doesn’t get the idea to use her as a magic super-battery for her Element Awakening spell. Which in turn almost certainly means NO Elemental Apocalypse. Of course, the Elements Mini-series probably still happens in some form. Patience seems quite adept at making problems for everyone else. But it most likely ends up being not nearly as bad as what we see in the show.

So no Elemental Apocalypse likely means our heroes don’t have to hit the LSP-powered elemental-reset button. And that means Punchbowl, Crunchie and Manfred AREN’T reverted to their original forms. Meaning NO Uncle Gumbald and no Gumbaldia arc.

And then we have BETTY to consider. Because looking back at Bespoken For it seems that Betty was just about ready to actually try LETTING GO of her obsession with ‘fixing’ Simon. To finally ‘take him as he is’ as Tiny Manticore suggested. Instead however, Betty ends up getting frozen by Patience and used as an Elemental super-battery, which leads to her getting access to the Enchiridion thanks to Finn, which in turn gives her the idea to try and rewrite history. The failure of which sends her to Mars and puts her in contact with Normal/King Man, which in turn led to her getting the idea to summon GOLB.

Meaning that no Betty getting frozen by Patience means no GOLB, no GOLBetty, and no Ice King being reverted back to Simon. Also, no Gunter becoming Ice Thing either. Instead, we could very well see a Betty who tries to accept Simon as he is now, much like what we see with Marceline.

To really break this down, looking at episodes following a version of I Am a Sword where Finn avoids stabbing the Finn Sword and retrieves it from Bandit Princess, leading up to the Islands arc; most everything plays out basically the same, save for events directly dealing with the fallout of the original I Am a Sword, ie; the episodes The Music Hole and Two Swords which simply have no reason to exist. Though speaking of Two Swords, I do think the events of its preceding and succeeding episodes Reboot and Do No Harm NOT related to Fern play out mostly the same. As in, Finn’s grass-prosthetic still lashes out at a berserking Susan to protect him, though without the Grass Demon seizing remote control over the prosthetic, perhaps Finn is able to avoid hurting Susan quite as bad. Regardless, I imagine Finn’s grass arm does go somewhat out of his control and Susan still gets hurt, which means Finn’s time in Do No Harm can play out unchanged.

As for the Islands arc itself, I can’t imagine Finn having the Finn Sword and Grass arm changes things too much. Save maybe Finn having to convince his mom to not immediately remove his weird magic arm when they reunite. Though considering that part of the big resolution of the arc was Finn convincing Minerva and the rest of the humans that the weird magic/mutant shit of the outside world WASN’T something to be afraid of, I imagine this doesn’t change anything in the long run. It might lead to an interesting situation where Minerva tries to forcefully remove the Grass arm, leading it to lash out at her, which in turn leads to Finn making his mom see that his arm is not inherently aggressive but simply trying to protect him, again trying into the original resolution of the arc.

Now trying to envision a full version of the Elements arc where Patience doesn’t use Betty as her magic super-battery is WAY more than I’m prepared to do for this post. Like at that point I’m just writing a full blown fanfic. So for the sake of argument, I’m just going to be assuming three main points: No Elemental Apocalypse, no Betty trying to hijack the Enchiridion to try and change the past, and no need for the LSP-powered elemental reset-button. Heck, maybe whatever shit Patience stirs up in this version gets resolved before Finn, Jake and BMO even get back to Ooo.

Now one wildcard in all this regards Jake getting reverted to his ‘true’ half-alien form in the aftermath of the Elements arc. On the one hand, this may not happen at all in this version of events, especially if they play out before Finn, Jake and BMO return from the Islands. On the other hand if Finn and Jake are around to participate in this version of Elements, even if there isn’t a full-blown Elemental Apocalypse perhaps Jake still winds up afflicted with some form of elemental contamination. And when said contamination is reverted, this brings out his alien nature just like what happened in the series proper.

So in the latter scenario, the events of Abstract play out unchanged. In the former, they don’t play out at all.

Going into the final four episodes of season 8, the events of Ketchup, Fionna and Cake and Fionna and Whispers play out basically unchanged, save for some of Marceline’s recapping in Ketchup. Whispers is notable here because despite Fern featuring heavily in that episode, it’s worth remembering that he wasn’t able to actually DO much of anything against the Lich Hand. Finn was the one to chase the hand to its lair, while Sweet Pea was the one to battle and defeat it. Fern basically being useless was the point, as it led him further into turning on Finn. So Fern’s absence doesn’t really change the events of that episode.

Now however, things start getting really interesting. As with the setup we’ve made so far of ‘Finn not stabbing the Finn Sword’, ‘No Mass-Elemental Reset by LSP’ and ‘Betty not obsessively chasing a way to fix Simon’, we potentially have only TWO of the remaining fourteen episodes able to play out unchanged. With just two or three others potentially having at least minor changes, a further three or four having MAJOR changes, and a potential SIX episode simply not happening at all.

Because with these three simple changes, we have No Fern, No Uncle Gumbald (and friends) and No Betty trying to summon GOLB. Plus potentially one other thing…

Without Fern or Uncle Gumbald being a thing, Three Buckets and Wild Hunt straight up DON’T happen. No Gumbald also means the second half of Always BMO Closing just can’t happen.

Son of Rap Bear plays out unchanged, and ironically Bonnibel Bubblegum can potentially play out mostly unchanged, with Bonnie still having a reason to explain her backstory to Finn and Jake (I personally like to think Marcy already knew :D). The only change being that Bonnie doesn’t get some dramatic realization that her Uncle has returned at the end.

Speaking of which, no Fern and no Gumbald means the major conflict of Seventeen just doesn’t happen and Finn’s seventeenth birthday party goes off without a hitch. Or at least, without a Green-Knight-and-Gumbald-and-co. hitch. You never know what other shenanigans might happen XD

Ring of Fire is the other episode that can play out completely unchanged by our alterations. Meanwhile, no Gumbald means no Chicle/Crunchy to cause trouble at Marcy’s concert at the end of Marcy and Hunson.

Now The First Investigation can play out MOSTLY unchanged, but this is also where that ‘one other thing’ I alluded to earlier comes into play. Because if Jake doesn’t get afflicted with elemental contamination and in turn draws out his alien physiology, that could potentially lead to Warran Ampersand NOT seeking him out and taking Jake to space at the end of TFI.

Now Jake potentially not being off-planet means Blenanas can potentially play out unchanged (Jake is simply off doing something else leading to Finn hanging out with Ice King), with major changes (Jake goes with Finn and Ice King), or just no happen at all (Finn and Jake are just doing something else).

Of course Jake not being taken off-planet by his evil alien dad means Jake the Starchild and Temple of Mars simply DON’T happen at all. If he is, then the former episode likely plays out unchanged while the latter still undergoes major changes, simply because in this version of events, Betty isn’t on Mars with King Man.

Now we come to the last two episodes of the series, which in this version of events simply CAN’T HAPPEN. No Uncle Gumbald means no Gumbaldia.

And with no Fern, no Gumbald and no Betty obsessed with ‘fixing’ Simon, literally ALL of the conflicts of Come Along With Me simply do not exist. No war with Gumbaldia, no big conflict between Finn and Finn-that-got-possessed-by-a-grass-demon, and no Betty summoning GOLB, no GOLBetty and no Simon being fully separated from the crown.

Now of course, all this isn’t to say everything would be all fine/dandy/boring for our characters and there won’t be anything of interest or conflict in this time. Just that it would be something completely different than what we see in the series proper. In particular, this series of events has Betty not only actually hanging out with Simon/IK, but even gradually integrating herself into the main cast of characters, which certainly would create all kinds of interesting situations (Betty having an actual conversation with Marceline anyone?).

Rather, I thought this would be a fun little thought experiment on how just a couple changes could have massive effects on late-series Adventure Time.

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

Full HCs of the M6 with wings please 🙏🏽

The Arcana HCs: M6 with wings

Julian

His wings look much like a raven's, except where there would be shades of blue when the light hits them, it's deep burgundy for him

Generally so sleek that he can fold them alongside his oversized coat and they're almost impossible to differentiate

One oddly humorous side effect of this is the way it affects his body language. Being such an expressive storyteller, his coat will look like it has a life of its own as he wildly gestures along

Not the best at remembering to take care of them and will melt into a puddle of affection-starved goo as soon as you start helping him preen and maintain them. Loves rambling about the anatomy

Repurposes his own shed feathers as quills

Likes wrapping them around you when he's giving you one of his all-encompassing hugs, otherwise, he keeps them in his space

Will get sooo fluffed out when you fluster him that his coat will start flapping like it's in a storm and his wings will get even bushier than his eyebrows. Feathers will start to fly if it's intense

Much prefers walking to flying unless absolutely necessary, but will make exceptions if it's to go on an adventure with you

Asra

Their wings are closely tied to their magic, and as such are very difficult to fully comprehend. They look like gravity-defying water

More specifically, his wings look a fairy's or a fly's wings, translucent with ever-shifting swirls and patterns, subtly glowing with a myriad of colors that blend into a pearly blue-ish purple

Their wings are also something they generally don't show in public - they fold down below their shoulders like a cape and lie flat below their rainbow coat. They don't care to draw attention to them

Nobody knows what exactly wing maintenance involves, all you know is that every full moon or so he goes swimming in the cave and seems extra glowy afterwards

Can and will use them like prisms during lazy mornings sleeping in and scatter rainbows all over the place

Has been known to paint on them like stained glass when they're bored. They do invite you to join in, but they're awfully ticklish

Tends to idly hover when he flies, but the one or two times you've seen him motivated to go fast he practically flashes across the sky. You're sure he's cheating aerodynamics somehow but he won't tell

Nadia

While the shape of her wings resembles an owl's, their gauzy, shimmery surface look almost like a butterfly's - if a butterfly's wings could fold back and drape elegantly along golden lines

The deep royal purple of them and the pink shimmer when the light hits them makes them look deceptively delicate. Nadia's wings are not fragile in the slightest

You did see her incorporate them into her swordplay, once, and the impact of one of them hitting her opponent sent them sailing across the ring. They are not to be messed with

While she doesn't show them off, she's not shy about them either. She spends hours maintaining them and coordinates ornaments for them to match her outfit and the occasion

Loves cupping one around your shoulders and back whenever you stand next to her, both to warm you and to protect you

Can gain the attention of a room of nobles simply by fluttering them, and uses this skill regularly and effectively

Will lightly brush your jaw with them when she walks by

Flies like a fighter jet. You've never seen acrobatics like these

Muriel

He dislikes his wings about as much as he dislikes the rest of his body, which is both saddening and par for the course

Like the rest of him, his wings are strong, big, heavy, and thick. You'd compare them to a bat, but the fur on the outside is as long and coarse as a bear's and there are powerful sinews throughout

You don't find this out for a while, but the insides of his wings are warm and leathery, covered in soft fine hairs, and very safe and comforting when you need shielding from harsher elements

Very self-conscious about the scarring and size of them

Keeps them folded in so tightly they look permanently cramped and uncomfortable, and only fully extends them when he absolutely has to. He does avoid flying because of this

As for the scarring - well - it's crisscrossed all over after years of combat, the edges are shredded and tattered in places, and you can tell where some bones and cartilage broke and healed crooked

The first time he let you sit behind him, wash and comb the fur, and finally moisturize them, he was able to let them hang loose for the rest of the day without needing to draw them in again

Portia

She has bird wings much like her brother, but they're considerably fluffier, stronger, and have the colors of a warm sunset

Keeps them neatly folded against her back while she's working, but otherwise they're fluffing and twitching and swaying behind her while she's laughing and chatting with you and her friends

Switches between flying and walking without thinking about it - she needs to get across the canal? She's not bothering with a bridge, she's taking a hop, flap, and a flutter to the other side

Loves using them to snuggle you. Whether it's casual brushes against your arms, folding around your waist to hug you, resting over your head when it starts to rain, it's all fair game

This is overall very pleasant, because she takes thorough care of them and the downy soft undersides feel like falling into the fluffiest cloud you could possibly imagine

Will use them to nudge people out of the way if she feels like her (or your) personal space isn't being respected

Her wings are so feather-dense that she does shed quite a lot and you find sunset feathers anywhere she sits or lies down

Lucio

He loves showing them off and he hates comments about their traits. Morga once told you that they were snowy white when he was a child, but over the years got streaked with red and black

They're webbed, thin enough to look like frost, with fine golden veins. Over time the sinews and bones took on crimson and charcoal black colors and he's rather proud of the effect

What he's less likely to flaunt is the deep, jagged scar slicing through one side that he got when he lost his arm

He effectively turned it into artwork with a golden tattoo, but he still tends to carefully position his gauntlet to cover for it

This in no way stops him from parading his wings otherwise. They're always halfway unfurled, poised like he's about to take flight, and matching his face for expressiveness

Startle him, and they'll fly above his head in shock before they ruffle and bristle and rustle around his shoulders as he loudly insists that he wasn't surprised at all, just playing along, no really!

Likes gently booping your nose with them to get your attention

Tends to compare his wings to others when he's insecure

[crystalpallette]

I've seen aus where either luke or layton go back in time but what about emmy huh?? gotta do everything myself?? anyway au where emmy goes back in time (more thoughts under cut, this is definitely something I've just been rotating in my mind not too much thought or detail yet. warning however that it is a bit long, i ramble a lot)

- set a couple years after azran legacy, the og trilogy has already happened (and maybe nwos too? idk how many years it should have been tbh)

- emmy's traveling for an article for the world times, stops by [an antique store? a place to develop photos that also has a corner where they sell kitschy stuff?] for the hell of it and discovers a red butterfly pendant

this pendant is clearly something different from the other cheap things on display, it seems higher quality and there's just Something about it that emmy can't ignore

"the professor would have loved this," she thinks, can't help but reminisce about her history with the professor and luke and the adventures they had and suddenly the gem glows hot, and she's back years into the past as dean delmona welcomes her into the staff as professor layton's new assistant. she'd think it was all an elaborate dream or hallucination except- the butterfly is still clutched in her hands. she stumbles through the rest of the pleasantries and moves out of the office, back to where she remembers parking her scooter, and through sheer autopilot drives back to her old flat. tomorrow is the day she meets professor layton, chases after him on her scooter, meets luke and the specter and-

- the last specter happens as she remembers, except for one thing. as loosha slips into the sea for the final time, she can't help but wish they could have saved her this time around

and then she's back in the professor's car as they pull up to misthallery.

(whats the butterfly pendant, I hear you ask, and the answer is I don't know yet! some sort of ancient artifact or something, in the first draft it was meant to be a "wishing star" but then I remembered the butterfly effect and realized wouldn't that be cooler, and now it's a butterfly.)

- through trial and error emmy realizes that butterfly she picked up is able to transport her back through time, with limitations ofc

things she's discovered include:

- she can only move to the past, not the future (once she goes back, she has to relive everything again to get to the point where she reset)

- she can never go back further than the day she became the professor's assistant

- while everything else around her stays the same, she remains consistent. the very first time she'd gone back she had changed back to her game-canon appearance, but as she keeps going back she realizes changes to her specifically still apply

so emmy, realizing all of this, rolls up her sleeves and gets to work. the future holds quite a bit, and she's determined to get everyone to as happy of an ending as she can manage.

[uchihabbynic]

The Memory of Him

Portgas D. Ace x GN! Reader

Content: Spoiler! as it relates to Ace & the events of Marineford, lots of fluff, angst, Ace being adorable as always, kissing, mentions of drinking alcohol.

                                  ₊ ˚⌒⌒ ₊ ˚⌒⌒ ₊ ˚⌒⌒ ₊ ˚⌒⌒ ₊ ˚

Hues of cotton candy pinks and purples danced across the sky as the sun set behind the ethereal man who’d washed ashore your beautiful, private island. You carefully analyzed the curvature of his lips when he spoke to you, the way his freckles were lightly peppered across his cheeks and the burnt orange hat that sat atop his mess of curls. You were quickly enamored by the pirate you’d saved only a few hours prior. 

It must’ve been his brutal honesty, the way he challenged your way of thinking or his undying love for his little brother who he was certain would become the King of the Pirates that drew you to Ace, despite him being a strange visitor in your country. It all happened too quickly, really - the closeness, the connection you’d built as you sat side by side watching the sun set, listening to the crackle of the fire that he’d lit with a mere snap of the finger while he rambled on endlessly about his adventures. 

“How can you be so brave?” You asked the freckle faced man who’d been chugging a bottle of booze. His 4th one, to be exact. Hearing stories of the vast sea and brave fights Ace had participated in made you admire him so much more, only hoping you could one day mirror his strength. 

Ace paused briefly and looked up at you before flashing a wide grin, tossing the empty bottle to the side. “I am a free man, Y/N…” he slurred. “Who should I fear when the world is my oyster?” 

“Easy for you to say, I suppose…” you scoffed. “Fire Fist Ace and Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates.” Ace couldn't help but chuckle as you listed off his titles & alias’, fully knowing the weight behind them. 

“Hey, you can do it too, y’know.” Ace smiled as he scooted closer to you, accidentally brushing against your hand that was settled on the blanket underneath you. This alone sent the butterflies in your stomach into a frenzy.

You felt the heat radiating off your face from the close proximity and wondered if Ace could feel it too. “Do what?” you pressed on, determined to keep your composure. You wrapped the bottle around your lips once more, taking a long gulp before throwing it aside - trying to play it cool, despite the alcohol coursing heavily through your veins creating a slew of indecent thoughts towards your new friend. 

“Be brave, of course.” Ace replied, letting out a hearty laugh. Oh, how you missed that beautiful melodic laugh. Ace’s words caught you off guard and you felt yourself simply frozen in time, gazing into his eyes, longingly - lovingly even as each word rolled off his lips. To think that a man you’d met only a few hours prior could have this effect on you was a wonderfully, unexpected surprise. 

Before you knew it, the moon was high in the sky and the orange fiery embers crackled aggressively, illuminating the surrounding space of the mountain side area you and Ace had been sitting at for hours now. You wanted to blame the alcohol but at some point, the Fire Fist’s head ended up in your lap. You caressed his black locks while he stumbled over his words, drunkenly retelling his favorite childhood memories of Luffy and Sabo. 

A sudden boldness overtook you causing you to lean down and plant a gentle kiss on Ace’s lips; the taste of Sake overwhelming your senses. A pretty pink flush dusted his cheeks as he settled into the kiss letting instinct take over, cupping your face so slightly as you opened your mouth, allowing his tongue to dance in synchrony with yours. 

“You’re quite cheeky, eh?” The pirate grinned as you pulled away, breathless, stomach churning in knots trying to process what you’d just done. Was it too forward? You thought as a wave of embarrassment washed over you. You don’t know why you even did that, really.

“I-Im so sorry, I-” you stammered, trying to frantically explain yourself, worried that you’d ruined the mood or overstepped the boundaries of your newly budding friendship. Ace sat up, sitting criss-cross in front of you and reached up to move a stray hair behind your ear. 

“Hey.” The pirate began, much more serious than before. “Don’t apologize.” Your head snapped up hearing these words; shocked but instantly feeling a sense of relief. 

“A part of being brave is being unapologetic… going for what you want.” He smiled, deeply appreciating your forwardness before planting another gentle kiss on your lips, his hands now resting on the plushy meat of your thighs. 

As the night drew on, so did your heated, drunken make out session as you explored each other's bodies for the first time. It was so uncharacteristic of you to let yourself be so open and vulnerable with anyone, let alone a pirate you’d just met but Ace’s spirit was so beautiful; so warm and inviting - that you’d probably climb the highest mountain or bear the harshest seas if he asked you to. 

You fell asleep with your head buried in his chest and wrapped in a blanket up to your neck as the stars and the moon twinkled above you, keeping watch as you laid to rest in the mountainous open air. As you drifted to sleep with Ace’s fingers tangled in your hair, you swore you were floating - living a dream you never wanted to wake up from. 

As that morning dawned, you would never forget the emptiness and disappointment you felt when you woke up alone, only to be left a note scribbled on a wrinkled piece of paper.

“I’ve got to meet back up with my crew so we can be onto our next adventure, but we’re sure to meet again. I promise. - Ace”

Your heart pounded in your ears as you clutched the note to your chest. As you reread the words over and over, you sat wrapped in the blanket from the night before, breathing in Ace’s scent that was still embedded in the fabric, desperate to clutch onto any remaining pieces of him that you could. Despite the frustration you felt that Ace had left so abruptly after such a wonderful night together, you found solace in his promise that he’d make his way back to you and you’d hoped that maybe he’d even offer you a spot on Whitebeard’s ship, whisking you away on new adventures with the rest of his crew.

                                    ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

The memories of that night with Ace 2 years prior played in your head over and over as you gripped the black and white newspaper reading the words “Fire Fist Ace: Dead after Paramount War!” Your fingers violently trembled as you processed the words and the photo of your beloved friend on the front page causing guttural sobs to erupt from your throat. At that moment, you knew there was absolutely nothing that could soothe the heavy ache in your chest. The sheer sorrow, emptiness and loneliness you’d suddenly felt overwhelmed you as your breathing became rapid and uneven. Ace’s death was not a wound that would quickly heal, but rather fester for some time to come.

“He promised… he fucking promised..” you cried out in between sniffles as your whole body collapsed to the ground. Your hot tears ran down your face and onto the gray paper as you sat, shaking violently. You were furious at him even though you knew you had no right to be. He promised he’d come back for you so how? Why could he be so reckless? You wanted so desperately to blame something or someone for such a tragedy but you knew that’s not what Ace would’ve wanted. 

Ace’s words about bravery replayed in your mind. You wanted to be strong; be brave - for him. You knew that Ace wouldn’t want to see you like this but you weren’t fearless like him. You wore your heart on your sleeve and goddamn, did you heart hurt. The encounter you had with your old friend Portgas D. Ace was all that you had to cling onto and was something you would cherish forever as he taught you so much about yourself and life in such a short period of time. 

You’d come to realize through your grief and pain that being brave also meant moving forward and not letting resentment and anger consume you, learning that loss doesn’t necessarily mean the end but simply the birth of a new beginning, a new mindset, a new adventure to discover and you swore to hold onto the sweet memories and teachings Ace had given you for the rest of your life, eventually feeling a sense of gratitude that you had the pleasure of being a comrade to the one and only Fire Fist Ace.

tags: @jordyn-degas @hoeronoa-zoro ✨

[high-pot-in-noose]

Hi, I remember that you like poetry and that a while ago you were asking people to send you poems. I wrote a poem today (in the car while looking at clouds) and thought I'd share it with you.

Butterfly Net

I want to catch clouds in a butterfly net

And bring them down close to me

I want to catch clouds in a butterfly net

Flying up high and free

I want to catch clouds in a butterfly net

Their essence perhaps, while the rest drifts free

I want to catch clouds in a butterfly net

While they drift away from me

I want to catch clouds in a butterfly net

And hold them close to me

Hello! Thank you for submitting a poem! I say it as soon as you sent it, I think, but I didn't have time to give it the attention it deserves until now.

I don't know if this was your intention, but this comes across rather like a children's poem. Reading this made me feel much like I'd picked up a book of "forgotten" Mother Goose rhymes and came across one I actually hadn't seen before. It manages to be very straight forward while still being very obviously an imaginary scenario. The concept in itself is sweet and reminds me of, "If all the raindrops were candy canes and gum drops [. . .] I'd stand outside with my mouth open wide."

Do regular people even own butterfly nets anymore? It feels to me a rather old-fashioned thing nowadays, which is probably why this also brings to mind old-school Loony Tunes adventure. I suppose what I mean to say is that this evokes dreaminess and nostalgia for a past that wasn't necessarily mine. I can imagine myself back in grade school copying this down for handwriting practice for fun.

You've got a stable meter going for the lines that aren't repeated, which I applaud you for since contemporary poetry is all but blank verse these days, and I'm well sick of it. The rhyme scheme is basic, but that's not a failing or fault for a poem of this type; it really locks in the atmosphere of it, actually.

Your motif is rather sturdy but also flexible, now that I'm thinking about it. The first few repeats, "I want to catch clouds in a butterfly net" seem simply straightforward statements, but after the line that was to the effect of you wanting to capture their essence rather than the physical being of them, you clearly stepped into the realm of metaphorical — it makes that idea of what exactly 'clouds' could be more vague, letting the mental image become more up to interpretation.

Goodness, this response turned out a bit longer than I was intending. I hope you'll forgive me; it's been a hot minute since someone @'d or submitted a poem for me to review, and I tend to ramble on when excited.

10/10 for what it is. This poem is simple and cute, but it's not trying to be anything but that. I'd let my younger language students do writing and reading practices with this.

[emmys-grimoire]

Lesson 52 analysis + 53 predictions

Turning this into a routine thing now! They’re fun to write and they’re popular (moreso than my actual commentary posts lmao).

Y’all like my ramblings.

Things guessed correctly from prior lesson

The House of Lamentation was an illusion produced by the fairies

The arc culminated in the completion of the Trial of Patience (star received via Simeon)

The illusion did a number on Simeon's feelings as well due to his fondness for Lucifer and the brothers

They shoved Mammon and Luke off to the side and plopped them back in only after the Satan/Simeon arc was complete. There was no arc for Luke. To be fair, though, they did get more content than I expected even so.

Things guessed wrong

The banshee didn't show up at all. It was a red herring.

There was no significance to the geranium found in the mysterious book

Our adventure also completed the Trial of Generosity. (I incorrectly attributed this to Diavolo, who actually gave us the Star of Gratitude)

Still ???

Whether or not there is some kind of transfer of memories/experiences going on between the brothers' past selves and present selves due to our meddling in time. We've confirmed that past angel Beelzebub has turned into a glutton in between the time we last saw him and now, but we haven't confirmed if it *is* our meddling that has induced that. Currently, no change has manifested in the present brothers, nor has the timeline of events seemed to have significantly changed.

Whether or not present Lucifer becoming more "angelic" in season 2, in lieu of past angel Lucifer's growing doubt, will be a significant plot point. The parallels are getting stronger, though. (This is elaborated on further down)

It feels like 50/50? I’ll probably keep a list like this going for future analysis/prediction posts just so I can keep track of how right/mistaken I am throughout the playthrough. Might help me make less mistakes in my analysis!

As a general rule I try not to meander too far off into symbolism or out-of-game lore because what I write begins to sound like this:

And this is an otome game that is light on writing and plot. Nine times out of ten, it’s not going to be that deep. So I work with the details given and the plot points shown and try to draw connections within the framework of the story, in an attempt to try to deduce where the devs are taking the plot. Unfortunately for me, the devs like red herrings, and red herrings are designed to mislead you. With me, they are quite successful! I’d like to get better at spotting them.

The book was consequential -- it’s used to imprison Satan later -- but that’s the end of it’s meaning. Maybe the Bible verse had something to do with it, too -- those were some weird ass numbers to just throw in the title -- but maybe not. Either way, it doesn’t really matter. 

But enough of that, onwards! We have a lot of points to go over that may be interesting to note, right or not.

Satan the Memory Thief

Back in 50-B we learn that it was Michael who taught the brothers the stories behind the human world constellations. 

When we’re tossed back in time-dreamland (?) again, it is Satan who takes the opportunity to teach the brothers the human world constellations. The room had just been remodeled: Michael hasn’t had the opportunity to give them tours yet. Lucifer mosied into the room so he and the brothers can get the first glimpse.

Sooo if in a future lesson we ask them about where they learned the constellations in the present timeline and they say “oh a guy named Sully, who suspiciously looked just like Satan, taught us!” then we know our meddling is having significant consequences.

It IS worth noting that unlike the prior dream sequence, Satan and Simeon remember what they just went through. This particular time-dream could very well just be an illusion meant to give Satan/Simeon some kind of emotional resolution and nothing else. This is kind of why I hate that they’re bring time travel back into the story: it makes stuff like this confusing and borderline inconsistent. Some sequences may have effects and others may not. 

The chat between Lucifer and Simeon could also be consequential.

“Do you *really* mean that?”

There is a parallel at play here!

After you wake up after dozing off, you go off to find Lucifer and Simeon conversing in a forest clearing, evidently unaware that you’re eavesdropping on them. Simeon says although he knows it is just an illusion, that he was glad to see angel Lucy once more. Angel Lucy is predictably confused, and reassures Simeon that they’ll remain like this forever.

Simeon, of course, knows better. He tells Lucifer that he knows he’s been meeting with Diavolo and he’s having doubts about his place in the Celestial Realm -- and if things really will remain the same. Lucy is caught off guard, and starts to explain with some clear hesitation... and of course we pass out before we could hear his answer.

There’s creepy loud heartbeats when it fades out. Normally I associate them with tense, pivotal decisions -- but it could also just be related to us waking up and returning to reality.

If Simeon ends up being wrong -- and there will be real world consequences to this conversation -- they could be very significant consequences. We’re not sure if the conversation continues for a bit longer after we pass out, but Simeon already woke up before we come to.

Obviously the brothers still fell (they’re still demons in the present), but I wouldn’t underestimate the potential of a butterfly effect changing the circumstances of the Great Celestial War. I kind of hope they don’t do that, though, because they haven’t even begun to explain the present details of that event. We know only the broad strokes. Suddenly changing them to make the resolution between the demons and angels more smooth will feel really forced.

And that parallel I mentioned: Diavolo expresses similar worries and doubt in Lucifer’s conviction in season 2.

I have no doubt Lucifer actually means what he says to Diavolo, unlike his dialogue with Simeon, but Diavolo is aware of just how far Lucifer will go for the sake of his family -- and he’s probably #2 on the priority list, when push comes to shove. Lucifer forsaking the Celestial Realm for Lilith was the thing that brought him to Diavolo in the first place.

Of course, this lesson has Simeon suggesting that Diavolo’s influence on Lucifer was significant prior to all that unfolding, and it may have eventually happened regardless. It was only a matter of when, not how.

Still, Lucifer be writing checks he may not be able to cash. We also get this foreboding warning from Barbatos in Season 2:

As I’ve said before, the inevitable conflict the story was hinting to at this point doesn’t happen in Season 2. Lucifer isn’t forced to make a choice like this. The Night Dagger didn’t demand it.

I’ve also expressed my belief that Season 2 and Season 3 were likely written back-to-back due to the small window of time between their releases, so I believe details overlooked in Season 2 may suddenly become more relevant in Season 3.

It’s worth remembering Diavolo’s growing feelings for MC -- and Lucifer’s inner conflict about it -- were hinted at early in Season 2, as well. It doesn’t really get going until the conclusion of Season 2, leading into Season 3.

Do I have any clue of what this is actually leading up to? Not at all! If it mirrors Season 2′s format, though, it’ll suddenly come to a head in the last 3-5 lessons. I remember feeling equally clueless then, and Season 2 had a lot more foreshadowing...

... a lot of which actually didn’t pan out! But it might now. 

Guardian Angels

Another smaller, but interesting detail. Guardian Angels are indeed a thing.

I think they’re gonna become a thing soon. The devs very sneakily changed a small detail in Season 2, suggesting they might have realized that it may interfere with their plans for later seasons. 

Old version.

New version.

I’m thinking they may have decided giving Michael guardianship of an entire swath of the population was cheating, and they may be individualizing the role of Guardian Angels.

Which leads me to who I think Michael’s chosen human squeeze is:

My man has been scoping him out long before we came around.

It makes sense, too. We know Michael gave his Ring of Wisdom to Solomon, which seems to have kickstarted his career as a demon-pacting sorcerer (though he clearly was a sorcerer before this).

This is a very powerful item, described as the Ring of Light’s counterpart, that would be very useful for a high-ranking angel to possess. I don’t think Michael would fork it over to just anyone, particularly when we remember how he felt compelled to interrogate us via dream hi-jack before the Ring of Light fully came into our possession.

Solomon also makes Michael angst in a way a well-meaning but misbehaving child would make their parent angst:

Solomon also really doesn’t seem to regard Michael like some distant, all-powerful alien being who could smite him out of existence.

Contrast this with how he responds when he’s forced to hang out with Diavolo for a day (he gets more comfortable, but he initially wants to punt the responsibility back to Lucifer ASAP).

And he knows a surprising amount of small details about the guy:

I think Solomon is a significant part of Michael’s long-term plans, but he may not even be fully aware of how. Or he is, and they’re in some kind of mutually beneficial agreement -- possibly related to cross-realm peace -- that we simply haven’t been made aware of yet.

Personally, I think Simeon should be made MC’s ‘official’ Guardian Angel if they’re gonna be a thing with official mechanics behind them. I know Michael is supposed to be the Big Cheese and ridiculously hot, so it may make sense to have him linked to the MC of an otome game because they’re super special too, but Michael may already have Solomon. He shouldn’t get to hog everything. It’s not like assigning Simeon to do job would really inconvenience him, either: MC is Solomon’s apprentice. He can easily work with the arrangement.

Luke may feel left out but he’s a kid so...

Seven Brothers Constellation

We learn there’s a constellation representing the brothers in the Celestial Realm. Everyone there knows the legend, but Luke doesn’t know what the three stars ‘watching over them’ represent. 

He, Mammon, and Satan begin to theorize and Satan suggests they may represent the three realms. The other two like the idea, and Mammon insists the ‘human’ star represents MC. 

He’s probably right, but I’m willing to take it a step further: it represents MC, Diavolo, and Michael. The three “guardians” of their respective realms, and the brothers. Season 3 has been repeatedly beating us over the head with how much Michael still cares for the brothers and his relevance to their upbringing, and likely their future.

It bears repeating: Diavolo and Michael are aiming towards the same goal, though their visions of what peace and harmony looks like may be very different.

Solomon could also qualify as a self-appointed guardian, but I think he lacks the connection to the brothers MC obviously has.

Still, he has the same resolve, and he’s not leaving the story any time soon.

Predictions

I sniff out even the smallest Michael details because he’s clearly the key to whatever is gonna blow up.

This might give us some insight on how the initial dealings with him may unfold:

It’s hard to deduce just what this actually means. Either Michael tends to overthink things that just aren’t that deep (can empathize) and that in itself leads to needless complications, or he’s apt to misread situations and as a result gives poor advice. Or a combination of both.

My initial read on him makes me think that he thinks the best of humans/angels but the worst of demons. He is very, very complimentary towards MC as soon as they start answering his questions.

Am I now? Really?

It could just be the game making characters butter up the MC to make the game more enjoyable for the player of a self-insert character, but dude we just met.

When you tell him you did what you did out of love for Lucifer:

That’s a very telling pause/ellipsis. It’s like his brain momentarily short-circuits and he needs to regain his composure before he continues, and he still doesn’t sound entirely sure of what you just said lol

He also just outright admits he initially thought you must be wicked just because the brothers liked you, and this is a guy who is still fond of them himself. I think he’s having a very hard time with it.

So the inevitable bumps in the roads ahead with him will likely be a result of this, and/or his dad being an asshole. Neither he or Diavolo are actually in charge of the realms they’re overseeing -- they’re both de facto leaders -- so maybe the parents will suddenly barge in and try to knock over their sand castles for whatever reason. It is kind of weird that the exchange program has been agreed to in the first place, particularly on the Celestial Realm’s part.

Regardless, I have no clue what the next arc will be. I know we still have three trials left, but they could combine two again to leave more room for the actual storyline to progress. The climax is going to be the last trial of our sorcerer’s exam, or something happening afterwards. Not sure which one I’m willing to bet on yet: I remember Simeon’s play and the silly Blood Moon contest in Season 2 were what kept use preoccupied for Season 2 until SUDDENLY LUCIFER GETS AMNESIA AND THE WORLD IS IN DANGER AND WE HAVE TO STAB HIM TO SAVE EVERYONE. But they did heavily foreshadow that in the very beginning lol. They just didn’t fill in the blanks until much later.

I wonder what the trial of chastity is gonna be like and how hard we’ll actually fail and the game will need to overcompensate for that

[secretbangtnn]

BTS fic poll

Okay so first thing first, down there are going to be summaries/kind of just my rambling and after you read them PLEASE COMMENT OR SEND AN ASK WITH FIC THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE FIRST (or just send last to most intresting to you if you dont want to pick one)

For people that don't know what's going in doing poll to know what fic write first

note ~

all the fic below will have smut and some disturbing themes im sorry but thats just how i like

Loveproof

I have a first chapter (kinda prolog for that) already! I wrote it a long time ago in my native language but it's going to be no problem to fastly translate it.Okay but coming back to the concept and what's going to happen in this fic.I was thinking about making it centric with soulmate topics and growing. Like the main character is scared and doesn't want to have soulmates - there is going to be a mess of a big background for it, and there is gonna be bts. Our school heartthrob and sweeties that just want to be loved haha. It's gonna be soft fics with a little bit of mental health issues and a lot of dramas it will by angstyyyy

Bloodline

Magic powers au specials school au maybe yandere

OH God you won't believe it if I tell you that I'm obsessed with characters I pictured there. the dark min Yoongi (u know the pic from daechwita are with band on his eyes) having the powers and being that cool dark kind of tsundere character with deep voice. Don't get me started on the rest tho. The whole fic will be about yn being the daughter of two very powerful magicians and powerbenders but not having the power so they send her to magic school with hope she is going to come out with some kind of power. And there she meets bts that first thing are not going to like her slowly gaining an unhealthy obsession and doing everything to protect her. Did I mention a lot of drama jealous bitches and usage of powers in some hot scenes + possessive protective BTS

Devil's Dance

Mafia au soulmate au yandere au

Okay so the thing here is that I wrote this fic in my native language, like 7 chapters and after it I decided to rewrite again only making the first chapter. But I have the whole plot organized and damn if I tell you that there is gonna be crazy shit happening then better believe me. I'm such a whore for obsessive poly bts that are bonded to yn with some kind of soulmate shit. This is gonna be dark with the yn working as a hostess in a club and bts being that dangerous mafia that will play weird games till they get her in their arms

Butterfly Effect

Angels demons au soulmate au Kind of yanderish au

So I have kind of plan how I want this fic to be but at the same time there are so many ideas. Yn being just a normal student suddenly getting attacked by some kind of monster and after it she is gonna ask for help (bcs those monsters won't leave her alone) and the creatures that are gonna help her are going to be bts. There is so much stuff I want to describe without spoiling the whole fic but I will add just this. Angels, seven deadly sins, soulmate, secrets and a whole lot of drama Angst

Diabolik Lovers

Idea based on anime - not 1:1 just living with vampires

Okay so probably some people watched this anime I'm not gonna copy its whole I'm just gonna take a concept from it. Girl going to live in a mysterious house with seven different people that are not as human as she thought. Hot vampires, tsundere, yandere theme with a night school and a lot of smutty smut.

Best Of Me

Vampire au yandere au brother/caregivers au

Where 7 old vampires finds a little baby outside theirs house and decide to rise her

There will be romance and all the boys will be included. And I know I know it sounds weird that they going to romantically love the yn that they rise from beginning but that's the whole concept okay. Like I imagine super super soft caregiver kind of ddlg relationship where they just want yn to depend on then. Like don't get me wrong it's going to be dark like they gonna do some questionable stuff to make yn depend on them. And the concept of the beginning where let's say they all are so disgusted with a human baby slowly warming up to her and just a whole lot of fluff shhsbsbs

Scarlet Moon

Hogwart au yandere au

Okay but my weird mind connecting a witch like from chilling adventures with hot Higwart boys that are heartthrobs of their houses. Like edgy badass yn coming to school knowing she is going to be discriminated against and bts having their own personalities not liking each other bcs of their status in the end forming an inner circle to make yn hers. Imagine them trying to make some potions for her and totally messing it up while shouting at each other. And I'm such a whore of the concept of slytherin jimin being like so mean to her and then the Taehyung which she met one the train to hogwart that acts like a puppy with her but hiding a totally different face.

Cilnomania

Soft hybrid au where boys find safe heaven in girl

Or predator hybrids really mate for life and maybe just nie they found someone they want to stay with. It's going to be mostly fluffy fic with some angsty back stories with a later Smut. But imagine 7 predator's finding their perfect mate and treating the yn like the little prey that they need to protect. I'm jdhsbshsha

Vampire knight

Base On anime - again it's only the concept i won't do 1:1 action like in anime and just change names. So the big school with night and day classes where day classes don't know about night classes being a vampires. There will be hierarchy with pure bloods, rogues, aristocrats… and ofc the hot hunters and our little yn that is going to try to maintain the peace when suddenly some vampires come back to school and give her attention she didn't know she needed. It's gonna be daaaark like I know some of you didn't watch the anime but oh God let me tell you it's not gonna be sweet fluffy fic with love at first sight there is going to be a lot of secrets 😏

Good Evening

Other world au yandere au

Okay so it maybe similar to the film Caroline but just a little bit. Yn being orphan living in some old hotel room while working there since young. As a child she discovered old closet in her room that took her to another world (kind of like Alice in the wonderland) and there she meets bts. Her getting older and living with secret of the other world while suddenly on her… birthday the old friends started to act different not wanting her to go. And then maybe she by accident opens a portal that allows not so human friends to step on earth and taking her whole.

Irresistible

well there is not much to write couse summary is on my profile already

[onceuponachole]

Touchy/11

Woah, the first drabble I’ve written on tumblr! A lot of people I know follow my wattpad account (cringe) so I’m doing this now! 

Concept: Although 11 is known for being quite touchy with no sense of personal space, he’s always been a little more so with one of his companions. 

-----------------------------

Per usual aboard the Tardis, it was fizzing with excitement. Giddiness was apparent throughout the console room, followed by the chipper hums and whirs of the Doctor’s beloved transportation herself. Speaking of the Doctor, he spun around the console like a child in a toy store, flicking switches and pressing buttons (though he most likely doesn’t know what all of them do). Watching his actions with amusement, Amy Pond’s lips quirked into a knowing smile. The next adventure was going to be a good one. 

 “Whad’ya think about Florana, eh? Haven’t been there in regenerations! It shouldn’t be too busy this time of year, what with the roses not in bloom yet. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it always makes me feel a hundred years younger!” the Doctor rambled, rocking on his heels and dashing to and fro.

 “When have you said that?” I asked, hiding my laughter with a smile. I folded my arms over my chest, leaning against the railing along the middle platform.

 “Oh, you know, just once really but I’ve always wanted to say it like that,” he shrugged, finally leaving the console to talk to me and the Ponds. 

 I laughed, no longer able to keep the feeling from bubbling. Taking the space next to me, the Doctor flashed me his signature grin and dove in to peck my cheek. His nose made contact with my face, brushing my cheekbone, and just like that it was over. I couldn’t help but grin back, feeling my face flush. 

 He’s always been a bit (okay, a LOT) touchy, not that I mind. Amy’s always said he kisses me more than her or Rory, but I’m not sure I believe it. He’s just the Doctor, he has a funny way of showing his emotions. Recently, however, his small moments of affection have given me a lasting effect. From short spurts of butterflies in my stomach, to an inability to talk without sputtering, he always had a way to make me feel special. It’s one of the downsides of his quirks, having to deal with the feelings after. I’ve never really considered it before, but it makes sense now to say that I’m smitten with him. And as far as I’m concerned, he has no clue. 

 Rory quirked an eyebrow, “No freaky aliens this time? I don’t want a plant trying to devour us or something.” 

 “No, no, nothing like that. Although I do suppose...,” the Doctor paused before shaking his head, “nope! No scary baddies out for us this time,” he smiled.

 Rory let out a short lived sigh of relief as the Tardis jolted suddenly. A fizz, pop! was heard, followed by sudden darkness from everywhere except the time rotor in the middle. It’s cerulean glow dimmed significantly, making a sort of wheeze. Immediately, the Doctor sprinted to the center and experimentally flicked some levers. I followed, standing just a little behind so he had room to analyze. 

“Power must’ve been shut off. Could be due to the amount of timey-wimey-ness...maybe the old girl can’t handle it,” he muttered, eyebrows scrunched in concentration. I pat him on the shoulder encouragingly, which seemed to startle him out of his trance. Gazing at me in the light of the time rotor, eyes gleaming, he snatched my hand from where it was resting at my side and cradled it in his own. His calloused thumb brushed circles over the back of my hand in an effort to comfort me. 

 I glanced at Amy, who had since shuffled to the opposite end of the console. She gave me a pointed look, mouthing a “see?”. I only shook my head in denial, before returning my attention to the Doctor. 

 “We could always try to reroute the power, the swimming pool is using an awful lot of it. Maybe there wasn’t enough of it going to the console,” I offered, smiling sheepishly. 

 “There’s a swimming pool in this thing?” Rory promptly exclaimed. 

 “Oi,” the Doctor retorted, “she isn’t a thing!” 

 “Alright you lot, we have bigger fish to fry. It’s gotten chilly in here since you started yabbering,” Amy complained. 

 “(Y/N)’s not wrong,” the Doctor continued, “it could be that not enough power is being transferred throughout the TARDIS. Rerouting it may be easier said than done though. I’m not sure it’ll work, but we can try!”  Swiftly, he descended the stairway to the lower level, pulling me along with him. I looked at Amy and Rory, who both gave me a thumbs up. I rolled my eyes, wiping my free hand on my pants.

 Although the lighting was dim, the Time Lord managed to grab his tinkering goggles and grabbed a fist-full of thick cord in the middle of the bunches of other mechanical wonders. I stood back to give him some space, shoes scraping along the steel, web-like floor. 

 The Doctor yanked on the wires for a few minutes, muttering incoherently, before piping up again. “(Y/N), can you help me out a bit? This hasn’t been moved in a while,” he laughed nervously, offering me his hand once more. I nodded, crouching next to him. He raised his arms in preparation to pull the cord out of it’s socket, but stopped abruptly. “Oh! Can we count down from three? I love three, it’s just such a lovely number.” 

 I giggled out a response, “Of course! That sounds more coordinated anyway.” We glanced at each other, or the silhouettes of each other, before we counted, 

 “Three.... 

 Two.... 

 One!” 

 and we tugged as forcefully as possible. The cord exited the socket aggressively, sending us tumbling. We crash landed with him almost on top of me, his elbow jabbed at my ribs, my legs tangled with his. I winced, sitting up, and the lights flashed back on. The TARDIS whirred appreciatively, resuming it’s normal tasks of whoosing the time rotor and lighting up buttons on the console. The Doctor sat up, grinning, and carefully placed his goggles on the floor next to him. I moved to the left, narrowly escaping his gangly legs, only to be pulled back in again and pecked on the lips. My face ignited in hues of pink, my chest rising and falling faster than normal. 

 “We did it! Well, actually you did most of the planning and the execution, so I suppose I should hand off the credit to you--” he stopped, mid-sentence, noticing my stunned silence. “What’s wrong?” 

 I gulped nervously, “Can we t-try that again?” I didn’t make eye contact with him and feared for the worst. 

 “Try wha- oh. That,” he mumbled, ears going red. 

 Tears stung my eyes in a fit of embarrassment. I shouldn’t have said anything, oh God he’s going to make me go home--, “I’m so sorry, I won’t do that again haha, I was only joking really, itdidn’tmeananythingIswear,” I sputtered. 

 The Doctor tilted my chin up with his hand, wiping my face of a tear that escaped. It was horrendously silent for a moment, before he whispered, “Do you like me?” 

 The tears fell a little harder now, I was mortified. “Yeah,” my voice cracked. “Do you? Like me, I mean?” Sniffling, I finally looked at his eyes. Those gorgeous green eyes, the ones that had seen more than I will ever know and whose intensity matched the thousands of galaxies we’ve flown through. 

 “More than you’ll ever know,” he replied. He leaned in hesitantly, before making contact with my lips. Kissing me, ever so softly, afraid that I was made of porcelain. I returned his slow passion with my own, resting a hand on the side of his face. I tried to push all of my feelings toward him into his brain, hoping, wishing that he knew how much I yearned for this. We separated, panting, and he smiled a smile so full of love that I felt weak in the knees. 

 Standing up, he brushed off his classic tweed jacket, and offered me his hand like he had so many times before. Quirking an eyebrow, he asked, “Shall we?” 

 I took his hand, smiled, still sniffling, and stood, not wanting to let go of him ever again.   

“To Florana! Geronimo!” 

[just-call-me-the-intrusive-thot]

Soulmate September - Day 8

Day 8 - The temperature of your chest gets hotter when you are closer to your soulmate and colder when you move further away. (D&D AU)

Pairing(s): Romantic Roceit, Romantic Background Analogical

TWs: Swearing

–

“Oh I adore being made out to be the bad guy here.”

“You robbed the lair of the Dragon Witch! It’s literally your fault that we are mired in this bog of despair!”

Roman’s accusation rang loudly within the wagon as they made the long ride back to Amoresse to rest for the night. Janus rolled his serpentine eyes, 

“You, dear delusional knight, are totally not the one who went and killed said Dragon Witch, thus leaving her treasure for the taking.”, the half Yuan-Ti hissed, appropriately, “Besides, you can absolutely take the moral high ground here when you stole her crown at the first opportunity.”

The pristine elven knight gasped dramatically, clutching his figurative pearls at such an accusation! 

“This is an outrage-!”

“Both of you shut the fuck up or I’m driving this wagon off the nearest goddamn cliff!!”

Roman and Janus both immediately quietened down at the threat issued so casually by their wagon driver as the dhampir hissed curses under his breath. The two in the back glared at each other back and forth, avoiding looking towards the wrecked fabric of the canopy and the splintered wood. In Roman’s defense, he hadn’t known that grabbing the crown specifically would cause the Dragon Witch’s castle to fall to ruin around them. He’d realised his mistake almost immediately when he felt the dark magic radiating off of it. However, he couldn’t bring himself to admit that was the case. Especially not around Janus, the damn snake wouldn’t let him live it down. 

Being careful to pick his moment, Roman hazarded a glance over at the reptilian rapscallion eyeing up his spoils; Janus was an enigmatic entity to Roman, showing such sophistication and poise while also being prone to stumbling over his words or his own two feet in the same breath. Unabashedly, he displayed selfishness unrivalled by even the most aristocratic nobility, but in a pinch, was fully able to toss aside even the most valuable of artifacts to save a life. 

Roman had tried not to think about it. The noble and chivalrous knight, Roman of Sandaria, being saved from the jaws of death by a conman who, by all accounts, he had fully expected to leave him to die. The elven man wasn’t sure where his resentment lay; perhaps Roman thought he should’ve been able to save himself, perhaps he felt guilty for misjudging Janus but couldn’t find it in him to admit it, or perhaps it was an underlying prejudice from his training days. Yeah, he really  didn’t want to think about it.

Instead, Roman made his way to sit up front next to the moody wagon driver, making light conversation,

“I should be the one manning the wagon, your highness.”

“Roman, I’ve told you before, you can just call me by my name.”, the dhampir met Roman with piercing silver eyes, “Now, tell me what’s wrong.”

“I don’t understand my- Virgil,”, he corrected at the last second, “Nothing’s wrong. Aside from the fact you refuse to allow me to call you by your title-”

“That’s horseshit and you know it, Roman.”, Virgil kept his eyes on the road, anxious over the possibility of a crash if he kept his gaze averted too long, “I’ve known you since we were kids, I can tell when you’re lying. Besides, being called ‘your highness’ feels wrong as it is. Coming from you? It’s even fucking weirder than this whole marrying into royalty thing...”

Roman rolled his eyes but sat closer to offer Virgil a one-armed hug. The latter gave it a moment before accepting the gesture, “Virgil, you’ll be fine. If any one of us was suited to princedom, I cannot think of a better candidate. And your future husband is unreasonably attractive, so I don’t see what you have to complain about-”

“Oh my god, shut UP!”, Virgil chuckled and shoved Roman playfully. “I mean, you’re not wrong but the last thing I need is to think too hard about Logan and crash this stupid fucking shambles of a wagon!” 

The lighthearted banter did wonders to distract Roman until Virgil managed to get things back on track unfortunately, “Now, stop deflecting and tell me what’s got you so gloomy, Sir-Sing-A-Lot.”

Roman rolled his eyes at the old nickname, “I’m fine, Virge, really. I merely wish our cascading castle adventure had been a little less…ruinous.”

“.... Was that a fucking pun-”

“Ahem.”, Janus cleared his throat from behind the two of them, “I do so loathe to interrupt.... whatever this is,”, he gestured between the two of them, “But I believe that’s our stop up ahead. Wouldn’t want to go destroying that as well.”

With that, the serpentine rogue slunk back into the wagon. Roman muttered something under his breath, inaudible to Virgil, before reluctantly joining the scaled nuisance bagging up his wares. The elven knight made sure to keep his crown tucked into his rucksack, just in case thievery was something to be wary of in Amoresse. The town’s reputation, however, gave Roman hope that their visit would prove more helpful than hindering; the rumours told of a town renowned for helping wayward, lonely souls find their soulmates. As a single, disaster gay, Roman sure hoped the rumours were true. Truly he could think of nothing sadder than turning up alone to his best friend’s wedding.

Getting booked into their rooms at the tavern was a far easier ordeal than having to endure the overly chaotic gate guard to the city. The bizarre tiefling had spent so long rambling on and on about the most grotesque topics that by the time they had successfully secured a wagon bay, the moon now shone in all her celestial beauty. Virgil had suggested resting for the night, and despite Roman’s urging that they stay together, Janus had been insistent on checking out the nightlife. The knight had been content to let him do so while he guarded the prince, but the tired dhampir insisted he too take the night to enjoy himself. Roman would have argued further had Virgil not issued the suggestion as an order after his first protest.

And that was how Roman found himself sitting at a small outdoor bar tended by a rather friendly dwarf. Said dwarf, Patton as he came to learn, was quite the chatterbox while Roman was content to take in the night air in spite of his earlier worries. 

“Say kiddo,”, the dwarf broke from his pleasant rambling, “you’re looking a little lonely there. You got something on your mind?”

Roman hadn’t expected that. He pursed his lips in thought. 

“I suppose I may as well be honest with you. I’ve been wondering if-”

“If the rumours are true?”, Patton finished, “Well, luckily for you, they are!”

He ducked down behind the counter and pulled up an ornate crystal bottle that contained a marvellous prismatic liquid inside. Roman watched with great interest as the dwarf pulled out a goblet and began to mix a sweet, fruity smelling drink before dropping in three drops of the colourful elixir.

“Anima Venenum”, Patton informed him, “Our town’s alchemist created it by accident a couple of centuries back, and ever since, we offer some to tourists who look like they need a little guidance in the ol’ world of love!”

Roman was mesmerised, “Really? You mean, I needn’t pay you for it?”

“Nope! Our only rule is to never hand it out to anyone who doesn’t ask us for it. It’s up to you if you wanna accept this, so no pressure. I just figured you looked like you might be in need of it.”

The knight had so many questions swirling around in his brain, but by the time he had settled on a single one, his hand was holding the goblet to his lips. The taste was citrusy like sweet clementines, but with a mixed berry and almost floral taste that reminded him of a rose wine. As the last of it slid down his throat, Roman noted a soft honey-like taste as he thanked Patton, 

“That tastes wonderful! I’ve never had an elixir that tasted so good.”

Patton chuckled, “Actually, the elixir itself is tasteless. People just take better to it when it's mixed with a good drink, otherwise the texture weirds ‘em out.”

“Ah, I see.”, Roman let out a gentle chuckle. He didn’t feel all that different, truth be told, and so he asked, “How will I know it’s working?”

“The effects are instantaneous, don’t you worry! It might be hard to notice at first, but when you’re near your soulmate, your heart will feel really warm- In a good way! Not like heartburn, so don’t worry about it feeling unpleasant.”, Patton assured him.

Roman nodded, making a note of it as he got up to leave before quickly asking, “Oh! How long will it last?”

Patton waved him off, assuring him, “It’ll last for as long as you need to find your soulmate, guaranteed!”

With the night reaching its peak, Roman found himself strolling along the cobbled streets back to the tavern when he felt it; a flicker of warmth in his heart. Soft as the beating of a butterfly’s wing but very much there. He followed the feeling until he came upon a narrow street, hardly lit by the lamps stationed at it’s opening. The street itself was largely empty bar a silhouette in the dark leaning against the stone bridge that arched over the shimmering water running beneath it. 

His heart raced as Roman approached the figure, the flames licking at his heart until he arrived about a foot from the entrance of the bridge. The figure turned to Roman, smirking a familiar smirk,

“Come to join me, oh loyal guardian of our beloved prince?”

Janus. His soulmate was Janus?! Roman couldn’t believe it, yet no matter how thoroughly he scanned the immediate area, not a single other soul revealed itself. The half Yuan-Ti raised a bemused eyebrow at Roman, “Please, do keep ignoring my question so you may continue to look like a fool.”

Roman scowled. Maybe the kindly dwarf was just teasing him? No, he didn’t seem the type. But this conman? His soulmate? Perhaps Roman would indulge it, see where that led him. Worth a shot anyway. 

“My apologies.”, was all Roman offered as he took a spot on the bridge next to Janus, the flames of his heart undeniably soaring to life at the close proximity. Janus gave Roman a puzzled glance which let Roman take in his features; a half scaled face and body that, the more he watched the moonlight dance along the scales, made Roman want to gently reach out and touch them. In fact, he had subconsciously been doing just that when Janus had held his wrist in place, “It’s not completely rude to just touch someone’s scales without permission. What’s gotten into that underbaked brain of yours, Roman?”

Flustered and embarrassed by his lack of tact, Roman uttered quietly, “Soulmate cocktail.”

“Pardon?”

Roman panicked, “So many cocktails. Is what I said. Like, 14 whole cocktails.” 

Great. Excellent save.

“..... You’re expecting me to believe that? Did you forget that I’m rather adept at being able to tell when someone’s lying to my face, Roman?��

End him. Just end him now. Roman wished a stray lightning bolt would smite him where he stood so he wouldn’t have to face his own stupidity. Quick, say something to help ease the situation.

“Okay. I had 16 cocktails.”, he stammered with a laugh, “I’m absolutely drunk. You got me, you clever reptile you!”

Roman of Sandaria you are a certified idiot. 

“.... Alright then. Prove it.”, Janus goaded him, locking onto Roman’s crimson eyes with his own citrine snake-like eyes. 

“Prove-?”

“Let me smell your breath.”, Janus clarified, getting closer. Each inch set Roman’s heart aflame all too literally. “If you’re as inebriated as you claim to be, your breath will absolutely stink.”

Shit.

“Uuuh, personal space-”, Roman began to move back, but Janus grasped the front of his tunic.

“Don’t give me that, Mister Personal-Space-Is-A-Societal-Construct, I’ve seen how often you get in your dear prince’s personal space...”, Roman could’ve sworn for a split second that Janus sounded resentful, or perhaps envious, before his tone took a more curious route, “... or perhaps could there be another reason you don’t want to be so close to me?”

The knight became aware of the burning within his chest threatening to rage out of control, the distance between them barely a couple of inches now. Roman wasn’t sure what to do, but the lure of Janus’ eyes and the way his ribcage radiated with a heat he’d never felt before spurred him to act; he leant forward and pressed his lips to the serpentine man before him.

It surprised Roman just how pleasant it felt, though he prepared himself for harsh retaliation from the half Yuan-Ti when he felt Janus take in a breath against his lips. However, Roman was pleasantly surprised to find that Janus, not only didn’t issue him a well-earned slap and spend the rest of the night cussing him out, but instead kissed him back even harder. Not that Roman was complaining. By the time they pulled back for air, Roman didn’t even notice the fire in his heart subsiding to be replaced with a more natural warmth as Janus’ hands softly caressed Roman’s cheeks. “I’ll be the first to admit, I totally saw the night heading that direction.”, Janus mused in surprise.

Roman let out a hearty chuckle, hardly even noticing that he’d subconsciously wrapped his arms around Janus.

“Care to tell me what brought this on, Roman of Sandaria?”

Just hearing his name spoken in such an enticing dulcet made his knees feel weak; how had Roman never noticed how beautiful Janus’ voice was? His mind was too busy latching onto every octave, every syllable, that he nearly forgot to answer him. He took Janus’ scaled hand and pressed his lips to it in a gentle gesture his soulmate clearly wasn’t used to if the flustered way he averted his eyes was anything to go by,

“I suppose you could say I did a little soul searching.”

----

Have some straight up Roceit fluff, this came out so cute.

@tsshipmonth2020

Taglist: @somehow-i-got-an-account @cateye-glasses @lavender-mochi [I know you love your Roceit so I figured I’d tag you incase you needed this] @fandomsofrandom [I nearly missed the reblog where you asked to be added I’m so sorry]

[eclectic-feathers]

Hello! Here’s my submission for @50yearsofqueen’s event. Posted nearing midnight for the drama. It’s a Doctor Who crossover that doesn’t really have much to do with the franchise other than in concept. It’s a very complex show, but canon’s already constantly challenged so I might as well challenge it even more. Thanks to my partner @bananavarina who made the art for this chapter and other chapters to come. Special thanks to @anne-white-star for helping me with the concept. Hope y’all enjoy!

———————————————

Humans succumb rather easily to trickery. After all, an unfortunate amount of them lead such jaded lives to the point they gradually lose the ability of thinking outside the box. This particular box is all these humans have ever known, yet, still, it serves as a case study in the development of claustrophobia. It’s stuck moving at a steady pace in a singular direction: forward. No turning back, no jumping ahead. Worst of all, the box never takes you anywhere. You need gasoline for that and gasoline, as you may well know, is expensive.

And if you don’t prefer a cheaper alternative for transportation, you’re either very well off or there’s something terribly wrong with you.

Thus, when presented with a different box, a time-traveling, space-hopping one which happens to accommodate much bigger dimensions on the inside, humans are easily fooled into stepping right in, putting aside all reasonable caution.

It’s for this reason that The Doctor recruits folks aboard his TARDIS with relative ease. It’s an art form he has nearly mastered, effectively trapping starry-eyed wanderers under the guise of adventure into a lifetime’s worth of the terror they least expect upon boarding. This terror had plagued dozens of Earthlings whose narrow understanding of space and time rendered them rather clueless as to how they might defeat it. This entity was, as brave Jamie McCrimmon ever so rudely proclaimed, a threat less comprehensible than Cybermen. This threat was unwanted exposition.

(Which is more commonly referred to as rambling.)

Countless humans have fondly (and exasperatedly, as certified human, Tegan Jovanka may attest) listened to The Doctor ramble for hours on end. It was a familiar dynamic, one The Doctor found comfort in. Perhaps, most of his companions never truly understood what he would be rambling on about, but it was, and still is, part of their exchange. The Doctor finds joy in showing such excitement, such beauty and wonder, to his friends. In return, his friends put the fun in his travels and gawk, accordingly, to all that they witness.

The Doctor always expected his companions to marvel in the sights and let him ramble on and on from topic to topic. What he didn’t expect was for them to stop marveling and start rambling back.

-

“Your mama loved scarves. They were all she had managed to pack from home when she was taken here.”

Brian slipped on his rubber footwear, his feet secured by tiny pieces of braided cloth cut from a scarf threaded through unevenly punctured holes. Haru had called them flip flops although he wasn’t quite sure whether it was a name he’d invented to cheer him up when he was little (like when he used to call lightbulbs fireflies) or if it happened to be the effect of inherent human silliness, thus making it the correct term.

“This is your papa’s favorite pair of pants. Your mama doodled stars and planets on it for his birthday. He loved them as he loved her...you love them too, don’t you?”

He pulled the pants up and fastened it with a belt. It was rather long and baggy for a ten-year-old. Still, Brian tried to make it work, bunching up the cloth and standing as tall as he could. He wondered if his father was out there, unaware of the existence of a son, finally home among the stars drawn daintily across his trousers.

“We all had to wear long sleeved shirts back in the metropolis. I wore green. He wore white.”

Brian put one on accordingly. The sleeves flopped and swallowed his arms as the shirt engulfed his skinny frame.

“Your mama had sewn him a vest. He wasn’t particularly fond of vests but he was very fond of your mama.”

He put on the black vest

Little Brian stared at the mirror in front of him, unsure what to feel. He felt tears prickling at the corners of his eyes, yet he wasn’t quite sure if it were right to mourn for something he’d never known.

“Bri?”

Brian looked up to find Haru standing at the doorway. His face was blank, yet a storm seemed to brew in his eyes. Perhaps, he was upset that the child he’d loved and raised as if he were his own was wearing the painful reminder of his friends long gone. Or, perhaps, he was disheartened that said child wasn’t satisfied enough with his care to stop yearning for his parents’ presence. Perhaps, he was neither of those. Perhaps, he was angry.

Brian hoped he was angry.

A moment of silence passed between them. Then another. Brian had read about moments like this in fictional Earthling books. He was steeling himself for those angry outbursts he always read about. Haru rarely got upset, yet Ian had never messed up this terribly before. So he braced himself…

Only to be engulfed in a bone crushing hug.

Brian quickly hugged Haru back as the latter trembled. He felt the pitter patter of tears falling on his shoulder and for the first time in his life, he felt the crushing weight of loss.

“You deserve to know your father,” Haru croaked as he regained his composure. Brian merely buried his face in his shoulder as he finally let his own tears flow.

“I already do, Dad.”

—————————-

“Doctor, your library’s collection of medical books is incomplete,” proclaimed Brian, a young man clad in white, signifying his status as an esteemed astronaut of Planet Rhye.

The Doctor gasped theatrically, startling Deacy, a man from 21st century Leicester, younger and less knowledgeable than Brian, yet seemingly much wiser. He’d been tinkering with a malfunctioning lever for about an hour now.

The Doctor merely smiled in apology to which Deacy responded with a fond shake of his head.

“Oh the TARDIS hasn’t been fixed yet?,” Brian inquired as he sank into a lavish red sofa situated in the console room.

“Not to my knowledge, no,” Deacy replied.

The Doctor laughed.

“Cheeky now, aren’t we?”

“Well, I deserve to be cheeky. After all it wasn’t me who busted the wiring in the butterfly room for a photoshoot.”

The Doctor scoffed as Brian let out a snort of his own.

“I’ll have you know, darling, that we’re perfectly safe and untarnished. I managed to avert the crisis by rearranging the wires before anyone could get hurt.”

“Did you, now?,” Deacy asked, his confusion evident.

“Of course I did!”

“Then how come the wires here are all mismatched and tangled up?”

A sudden silence swept across the room.

“Oh! You managed to rearrange them well enough for the TARDIS not to combust but they still weren’t in the correct order because based on the times we were on Itakam and the time we went to Roman occupied Greece, you’re no good at technical repairs,” Brian piped up, rather satisfied with himself. Deacy chuckled as The Doctor gaped at his lack of tact.

“Brian...do tell me about the library,” The Doctor muttered, as Deacy amusedly returned to his work.

“I’ve searched high and low in every single shelf of your library and found references to every single medical lung condition I’ve read of back home. They were all there...except for one.”

“Well, that’s silly, darling! The book dealer had been very sincere. I couldn’t have been tricked!”

“Perhaps, you’d simply been gullible?,” Roger suggested as he entered the room. He was exceptionally beautiful with no trace of wrinkles, pores, or even a philtrum. His skin was smooth as silk save for a pair of gills which rested on either side of his neck. He sat next to Brian and plopped his feet on the former’s lap. It was no secret that this Doctor, unlike the last two of his incarnations, was reserved around strangers. That being said, soaked up every last trace of physical affection from his friends like a sponge. Yet, even he chuckled at the display of such disregard for human manners.

Brian was human. However he’d been raised far from Earth, isolated from society with no one but Dad for company. Etiquette was unimportant in his little world and Dad hadn’t known enough about human custom to teach him anything of substance. Brian hadn’t known touch for years and he embraced, quite literally, its sudden return in the form of team cuddles. It seems rather funny, doesn’t it? That there are things you never realize you lost until you find it and cherish it once more? Ian seemed to believe so.

Roger was a fish.

“That’s impossible, for how all that pretentiousness my sixth face had, he simply wasn’t one to be tricked.”

“I beg to differ,” Roger countered. “I’ve met him. You’re absolutely rubbish at spaceship maintenance, I give you that. But you’re actually quite clever...very creative even. He was witty and creative too, but he wasn’t clever. He was mostly a bumbling fool.”

The Doctor didn’t know whether to be flattered or insulted.

“What medical condition were you looking for anyway?,” Deacy inquired as he rolled up the sleeves of his turtleneck and took off his spliced button up.

“Hanahaki disease.”

At this, Roger quickly turned away from Brian, trying to hold in his laughter. The Doctor buried his smiling face in Deacy’s shoulder as the latter forcibly schooled his expression into one of nonchalance. He was well aware that Hanahaki disease was fictional, after all, his girlfriend, Ronnie used to write fiction in her spare time and he’d be the beta reader. He nodded politely, as Brian happily hummed a little tune, oblivious to his friends’ antics.

You know you’ve got a terrible grasp on human custom when even a fish is more culturally aware than you.

“Well, either way,” Brian piped up, still blissfully unaware, “your collection’s incomplete. Maybe we should go look for the missing volume after Deacy repairs the console?”

“I reckon we need another adventure,” Roger agreed as he set his legs on the floor and yanked The Doctor towards the couch. Brian scooted closer, letting his head rest on Roger’s shoulder as The Doctor climbed in and rested his upper body on his companions’ laps.

“I’m afraid we’ll be stranded here for a little while,” Deacy remarked.

“Then what are you waiting for?,” Brian asked as he beckoned Deacy over to the couch. The latter smiled as he joined in what he believed to be the best part of traveling with The Doctor: cuddle piles.

—————————————-

“Are we gonna tell him…?”

“No!”

“How dare you?! I invited you onboard expecting a starry-eyed audience to gawk at everything I do but instead I got someone who seems to know my TARDIS better than me!”

“There’s no point in complaining about free maintenance.”

“You’re one to talk, fishman. There’s no point in bringing you along with me to witness the universe if you’ve already seen it all!”

“Yet you still keep us around.”

“...I suppose I do. Now wipe those smug looks off your faces. We’re going to 2012. Just to appease him.”

[eternityservedcold]

ive been posting about my codex!wendy au on twitter for a couple days now but instead of just copy and pasting what i wrote on there ill actually expand upon it a little. also this post is gonna be really long but theres pictures so i hope that helps

if theres any moment where the timeline splits (not including moments before this that may have had a butterfly effect), it would be william carters train crash in 1904, which.... did not happen in this universe. he, with no small amount of shame, moves in with his rich and successful brother.

wendy and abigail grow up having, essentially, an extra parent, which thankfully means abigail didnt die. with their mother long gone, when jack dies in 1919 (not of magic-y reasons, just like... a heart attack or something), william is left to take care of the twins alone. he tries to find jobs so he could work himself to death and at least save his nieces, but due to his general lack of competence, he isnt finding much that can actually sustain them all.

wendy and abigail, who have noticed this despite williams protests that everything is fine, decide to do the smartest thing they can think of: run away from home so william only needs to take care of himself. im sure you can see why this is a bad idea, even in a universe without the codex umbra, but boy does it get significantly worse for them very quickly.

wendy gets hit by a car. abigail runs for help, but by the time she gets back, wendy is fine. and clutching a strange book.

over the course of the next few weeks, wendy and abigail manage to scrounge up a little money, and between this, wendy shows abigail some neat tricks the codex umbra taught her. abigail suggests, a bit jokingly, that maybe they could become magicians. the codex wendy thinks this is a great idea.

[transcription of text: “THE AMAZING MARY, Performing feats to astound and mystify”]

at the codex umbras suggestion, wendy adopts a stage name, “mary,” and the twins perform their first show. it goes very well, and they make a lot of money, so they decide to keep doing this, and hopefully save enough to go back home and take care of their uncle.

mary and abigail perform many magic shows, and end up becoming beloved around the country. admittedly they do get a bit lost in the sauce, but theyre teenagers, wouldnt you? except, mary often times seems to forget they theyre doing this for their uncle at all. in fact, mary seems all-around real different these days.

mary becomes far colder, more secretive, and will lock herself in her study for days at a time. abigail notices her sisters change in personality, and attributes it to the fame going to her head. unlike charlie, abigail never realized quite how deep mary had gotten into the codex.

mary and abigails final act goes very similarly to maxwell and charlies. theyre going through the routine when something goes horribly wrong, and theyre grabbed by the codex and taken to the constant. mary becomes the queen, and abigail the night monster.

mary rules much like her uncle, and brings most of the same people into her world. the differences are as such:

maxwell is still william carter, who replaces wilson as the “all-around” type. if he was in the game, he would only have slightly lower hunger drain, and otherwise be identical to wilson without a beard

charlie has taken the role of wendy, so to speak... winona died in a factory accident (the very same one that would have taken her to the constant in another life), and charlie keeps her soul in a rose

webber becomes the “canonical” protagonist instead of wilson. i would have made it william, but it is ultimately important that the protagonist is someone uninvolved in the carter relationship chart

wilson is actually a half-decent scientist so he replaces winona, i guess

adventure mode is the same but i wrote some quotes for funsies, here we go:

A Cold Reception

Looks like you found my portal.

Haven’t you learned “curiosity kills the cat?”

Let’s see if I can’t up the stakes a bit.

King of Winter

Oh, you survived, that’s fun.

Just remember, you need to be lucky four more times...

But I only need to be lucky once.

The Game is Afoot

Huh? You’re still alive?

That’s... impressive. I’m interested to see how this will go.

Break a leg out there.

Archipelago

How do you do?

This has been fun. You’re a good playmate.

But I think you should know I had a nasty habit of breaking my toys.

Two Worlds

How do you do?

I know you may not want to make another deal with me, but...

I’ll just give you all of this for free.

Food, gold, pigs, anything you want from this world.

All I want in return is for you to stay put, okay?

Darkness

Go ahead.

Keep going.

I think we both know what will happen.

Epilogue

You found me.

Was it what you hoped for?

Forgive me for not giving you a curtsy.

For what it’s worth, you were a fun playmate.

To me, at least. Maybe not to Them.

Maybe They’ll find you more fun when you’re here.

They’ll show you beautiful, terrifying things.

It’d be best if you didn’t fight it.

I’ve worked so hard to make this world.

I’ve made it so pretty for Them.

I thought I was so smart. So needed.

But even Queens are bound to the board.

In the end, I can’t change the game.

I’m not quite sure what They want.

Perhaps we’re just performing for Them.

Though that may be my mind playing tricks on me.

Hm. What year is it? Time is weird here.

Go ahead, stay as long as you like.

It’s not like I can throw you out.

Or you could put the key in and get it over with.

It’s a lose-lose situation.

That’s life, though, isn’t it?

...I think I’m done for now.

i also drew some disconnected cyclum-ish comics:

[transcript of text:

Mary: "After all I've done, you still help me. Why?"

Webber: "We trust you."

Mary: (offscreen) "I don't understand."

Webber: "If you were gonna do something, you already would have."

Mary: "I just don't understand."

Webber: (offscreen) "It's okay, Mary, you don't have to."]

[transcript of text:

William: "I missed you so much! I was worried sick, I can't even be mad at you..." (rambling)

Mary: "I... I'm sorry, do I know you?"]

im very much still developing this au but thats what i have so far.

[cry-stars]

Hershel Layton and LayClaire for the meme?

Thank you so much! I’m sorry, this is super long.

Hershel Layton: 

How I feel about this character: 

I love Layton! I really love how, even though he’s a Sherlock Holmes-style genius and puzzle-solver, he has none of the arrogance that usually shows up in those kinds of characters. He’s gentle and kind, and always tries his best to protect others. He just has this calming effect on everything around him, somehow. I love how he shows mercy and kindness even to people that are rude to him or who have hurt him. He’s a true gentleman and really inspires me to be like him, honestly.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: 

I don’t actively ship him with anyone, but I have some fondness for both Layclaire and Layemmy, the latter mostly because of my friends who like the ship!

My non-romantic OTP for this character: 

Layton and all of his students/children, but especially Clive, haha… the two of them are very similar in a lot of ways, and I really love the idea of Layton deciding to extend mercy to Clive and helping him become a better person, and along the way, learning that maybe Clive also has some ways to help him as well.

My unpopular opinion about this character: 

Um… I don’t think he’s an awful dad. I think he’s pretty good, if a bit distant. He’s always kind and thoughtful, and always concerned for Flora’s safety (and I assume Alfendi and Katrielle too; I still haven’t finished Kat’s game). Layton’s main problem is that he doesn’t plan on being a dad, but when someone is in need of a guardian or caretaker, he just can’t say no and jumps to helping them, perhaps without being emotionally prepared. His first instinct is to help. Like, for Flora, Layton just wanted to solve an inheritance dispute, but finds a girl at the top of the tower who has no parents, likes him, and wants to go to London with him. How could he say, “sorry, I’m not ready to be your dad?” and leave her behind? 

Layton just needs to learn when to ask for help himself; he has parents and friends that could be a support system if he asked them. I think that he really tries his best, though, and there’s no way that he would ever be abusive or neglectful. I think he really should listen to Flora, of course; I love Flora to bits and I think the way he leaves her behind is awful. I just think that people need to think about Layton’s past, and how he’s trying his best to fill a position that he may never have been ready to take. It’s a grey area, for sure.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon:

I wish Layton got more closure regarding all of the horrible things that happened to him. His long-lost brother vanishes, seemingly dead. His biological dad goes to jail. His best friend returns from the dead, and they never even get a conversation together. Claire dies twice, and while they got a final goodbye, he learned that she was alive and watched her die again all in the space of one day. So many awful things happen to him so quickly, and he never gets the chance to process them.

my OTP:

Layton/therapy

my cross over ship:

Not romantic, but I love his interactions with Phoenix and Maya so much. I want to see them go on another adventure together (this time with Flora! And maybe Trucy or Pearl from AA).

a headcanon fact:

I’ve thought for a long time that Layton has PTSD, but ordinarily manages to hide it quite well. This is why he’s so reticent and doesn’t show his emotions very much, for fear of losing control, and also why he tries so hard to be helpful and understanding to others who share similar traumatic backgrounds to him (for example, why he takes Flora in, why he wants to help Clive, and why he so quickly takes Luke in as an apprentice). It started after Randall’s death, became worse after Claire’s first death, and was re-triggered for a third time after Claire’s second death and Luke’s move overseas. Layton was trying to help Clive after this by visiting him, but seeing the similarities between Clive’s PTSD and and his own, and seeing Flora and Clive’s concern for him, he was finally convinced to go and get help for his own trauma.

 Layclaire:

when I started shipping it if I did:

I’ve always shipped them casually because I enjoyed the story of PL3 so much.

my thoughts:

Layclaire is one of those complicated ones for me, where I like it in canon and don’t have a problem with it, but I don’t get butterflies thinking about them like I do for my OTPs. Recently though, I got a little more invested in shipping them after reading an old post about the parallels between Layclaire and Clive’s parents. (Of course it was Clive related… :P) Basically, I don’t ship them hard, but I appreciate how they work together in the story and how they make PL3’s story meaningful.

What makes me happy about them:

I love how Claire was such a wonderful new part of Layton’s life! After playing the prequels, we know how tumultuous his early life was, and after losing Randall and having to leave Stansbury, I imagine that Hershel felt pretty lost. Claire’s bright-eyed idealism and motivation might have inspired Hershel, and likewise, Hershel’s quieter nature might have been grounding to Claire.

What makes me sad about them:

Claire’s dead…

Also, I wish we got to know Claire a little better! Maybe if we got to play as young Hershel in a similar way to playing as teen!him in Miracle Mask? I’d like to get to know Claire in the same way that we got to know teen Randall; it might make her loss more meaningful. (I know Clark and Brenda didn’t exist yet, but it would’ve been fun to see them too during a flashback!)

things done in fanfic that annoys me:

I haven’t read a lot of Layclaire fanfics, honestly, so I’m not sure. I don’t know if this is the case in any, but I’d be a bit annoyed if Claire was the “manic pixie dream girl” to a depressed Layton and cured his depression, or something. At the same time, I do think she would have helped him a lot, so I might not be too picky with this. 

things I look for in fanfic:

I love fanfics that build on Claire’s character, or give her more of a backstory! Take Two, which is an AU in which Claire survives the explosion and she and Layton adopt Clive, gives Claire a lot of good backstory; she was an adopted child herself, for example. It also lets her grapple with feelings of guilt over having caused the explosion. People often let Layton feel darker emotions in fanfics, but I don’t often see Claire being allowed to have that range of emotion (although again, I admit that I haven’t read a lot of Layclaire-centric stories, just ones that have Layclaire as a part of a bigger plot). Basically, I’d like to see Claire grow as a character, and see her be allowed to feel darker emotions like Layton is allowed to.

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: 

I’m not sure… Maybe Emmy for Layton? And Claire could become bros for life with Dimitri.

My happily ever after for them:

In a canon-like universe, I’m okay with Claire dying, to be honest (although I feel bad saying that) but I wish that she and Layton had a bit more time together. Maybe if they had a week where they could talk through everything they never got the chance to? In a universe where Claire never died, I’d like to see her as a part of Layton’s other adventures, becoming Flora’s mom and being a mentor to Luke.

who is the big spoon/little spoon:

Layton’s the little spoon, I think, but Claire lets him be the big spoon sometimes.

what is their favorite non-sexual activity:

They love to ramble to each other about their projects. They’ll make a pot of tea, and sit down, and talk through what they’re excited about and what they’re having troubles with, and give each other advice. Even though they’re in separate fields of study, they always give each other new ideas. I think that they might have been planning an interdisciplinary project together on Azran technology before the explosion.

[stealth-liberal]

I'm trying to use this as a bit of a journal, I'm shit at staying on top of a pen and paper journal, so I'll try this. My therapist said I should try writing out the various reasons that I feel depressed and since this tumblr is 100% isolated from my professional online identity and no employer has ever been able to find it, I feel safe doing so. However, if reading the personal ramblings of someone in a depressed state isn't your cup of tea, don't feel bad, that's fine, feel free to scroll past. I won't hold it against you. We all have our comfort zones and our limits.

Everyone has dealt with the pandemic and the isolation in different ways. It has had a myriad of different negative effects on all of us. But the way that it's negatively effected me is a bit different. I've always been an introvert, I can socialize just fine, I can even be the life of the party, but I'm not recharged by it. I require my alone time to be in a good and healthy frame of mind.

Alone time that has well and truly vanished for an entire year. My husband's industry was live events. He is a stagehand, lighting, sound design and reinforcement, even set carpentry. Well obviously his whole industry has shut down and he's been home since last March. Next come my kids, within 1 week of my husband being home, my littles were sent home from school to begin the adventure that is distance online learning. Can you feel the sarcasm dripping from that statement?

Now everyone has been home with me every second of every day. My husband is taking online classes to expand his skill set. Both kids are home at school and I have to monitor them to make sure they stay in class. I work as an editor from home when I get a spare fucking minute.

I have to be on for every second of every day. It's exhausting and there's nowhere to go to get away from it because it's my house and we're not supposed to go anywhere! Everyone tells me how they can't wait to be a social butterfly again, meanwhile I can't wait to get everyone the fuck out of my house so I can get back to my normal life. I don't do well having to be that on all the time. It's not a great look for me.

And then I get shamed for it. Don't you love your children? Don't you love your husband? You must be a terrible wife and mother if this bothers you!

Did I say that I hate/don't love my husband and my 2 kids? Nope, I don't think that those words came out of my mouth. I said that I have had a year of unending socialization except for when I'm sleeping. And that it's driving me crazy and miserable. I truly do not believe people were meant to be in each other's faces like this 24/7.

But sure, go ahead, tell me that I'm a shit mom and a shit wife. Make sure that I feel so goddamn unsupported and so very judged that I don't open my mouth anymore till I'm either crying all day or attempting to sleep all day. Thanks for that fuckos.

So maybe there's a little anger with the depression. Sue me.

My husband went through some of the worst anxiety I've ever seen him deal with. It got so bad that I legitimately worried about his long term mental health. So I couldn't talk to him about what was going on with me as he didn't have the spoons. So I took care of him and both kids and the 2 animals till I broke, slept for almost 48 hours and then woke up and cried for almost 24 hours.

I mentioned how I was having a rough time and The Anxiety Warriors decided to tell me what a horrible person I am for saying that my husband's anxiety breakdown was tough on me and the kids. That I was an abusive wife for even mentioning it. My husband got angry that people said that to me, but the damage is done.

Add to that a shit show going down with the book I was working on. I can't go into the details, suffice it to say being an editor was like pulling my own eyeballs out.

So yeah... I'm quiet right now. Everything seems overwhelming. I get up, take care of everyone and either mindlessly scroll or I sleep. I don't want to interact with anyone or anything. Since I'm so terrible what would be the fucking point?

I know this will pass. I've been in a depressive state before and I'll be in one again. However right now it all just sucks. I'm looking forward to when it passes and I don't feel so overwhelmed. I know for a fact that day is out there. I just wish I had an exact date for it. So here's to wishing for something I won't get.

That's all, nothing groundbreaking or anything. Just me and my life... such as it is currently.

Till next time.

[writemoment]

Failing Flirt

Writer: Ellie-Mae (Pen Name)

Part: 1/1

Summary: She wasn’t used to growing affections, Jaskier wasn’t inexperienced but he was rather untalented at showing his feelings, and Geralt was tired of it all.

Pairing: Jaskier x Reader

Warnings/Rated: Mostly fluff, maybe second hand embarrassment if you squint.

Word Count: 2,163

A/N: With everything going on with the virus, I figured I might as well post some of my drafts that have already been finished. I’m working on more! Hopefully I can get a few series finished over the next two weeks. Thanks for being patient! xx

( Reader ) P.O.V.

When I had agreed to travel with the Witcher and the bard, Jaskier had played off their need for a healer with much exaggeration. “I mean- you can tag along but Geralt can take care of himself.” That’s what he had said.

Since then, I have used chaos to heal not only Geralt but also Jaskier many times. The more they played off their need for assistance, the more they seemed to need it. Though, I was not one to brag about this. I was more than content to be a part of something bigger than the life I had been scraping by.

However, as the days turned into weeks, I had fallen into a rhythm of friendship, or mutual acceptance according to the Witcher, with my colleagues. These types of dynamics were something I hadn’t much skill or experience in.

How was I to know the difference between friendly banter and awful flirting?

Jaskier and I got along the best. Though Geralt and I could have decent and meaningful conversations underneath the fall of the night. Jaskier was the delightful opposite of your everyday Witcher. He was loud, obnoxious, didn’t know how to take a breath in between talking and, man, did he love to get smack dab in the middle of where he doesn’t belong.

It was a stark contrast to your quiet, all-brooding Witcher whom of which spent most of his free time complaining to Roach. That or yelling at the bard to shut the hell up. Yet, this somehow made up a family-like scenario for me. I could even get Geralt to crack a smirk at my lame jokes on occasion.

But the closer I got to Jaskier, the more flustered I became around him. I know of his past dalliances with court women and others-alike, but I was very inexperienced and unprepared in this territory. Romance had no place in the life of someone who had to use every moment to survive. Finding this unlikely pair had been the first breath of fresh air I had in a long while.

One night as we were eating at our camp, the fire blazing to chase the chill away, Jaskier said from beside me, “Y/n, you are like the flames in which set in front of me. I can’t stand to look at you for too long.”

Geralt huffed and, almost as if being just as exhausted at us, Roach snorted derisively. My brows furrowed at the bard as he looked uncomfortably at the ground. “Uh, I’m sorry to hear that, Jaskier.” I replied, but my tone set it up as more of a question.

A moment lingered before I had bid them both goodnight, retracting to my tent. As I settled in to rest, I heard a groan followed by Geralt’s gruff voice saying, “Nice going, bard.”

Ever since then, Jaskier has been saying things of a similar nature. All of them easy to misconstrue one way or another. Despite his odd behavior, I continued to seek out his company any chance that I could. I felt pulled to him, like a bond between our destinies, as if his soul were meant to be melded with mine. 

Finally reaching the village, we pad behind Geralt into the streets. Jaskier the ‘dandelion’ bard was almost as recognizable as the ‘white wolf’ Witcher of Rivia. His ballads painted the tales of awe and woe, of adventures and horrors alike. The valley’s rang with the people singing his work from far and wide.

We quickly spot a tavern for us to rest in for the next few days while Geralt finds work. The sound of clanking pints and drunken jeers are familiar as we slither in past the occupants. Taverns all tend to have the same musty aroma mixed in with the scent of earth and stale sweat. It’s a common occurrence to travelers like us. Not that it makes it any better.

While getting our rooms, a man fidgets over to the Witcher with hushed words. I get the gist of it; another monster in need to be reckoned with. Jaskier floats about as if he just received the gift of a lifetime, “Let us go and slay thy beast!”

“Us? Would you like me to let you take care of this one?”

Jaskier backpedals, hard. “Oh, I- You wouldn’t let your most best friend in the whole wide world get hurt, now would you, Geralt?” But he’s only met with a grunt of a hum from the Witcher. “Geralt?”

With a light chuckle, I grasp Jaskier by the arm and drag him along to follow. Being in contact with him like this causes my pulse to race. I hardly want to let go. He grabs my hand that has a fist-full of his garment bunched up in it and loosens my hold. Slowly, my fingers fall against his own and together they fold over each other.

The tips of his fingers are hard and calloused, obvious traits of being a musician. What’s unexpected is how soft and warm his palm is as it’s pressed up against mine. It molds with my own in a way that I could never explain in it’s complexities of perfection. The feeling draws a shiver down my spine.

Jaskier doesn’t let go of my hand, he just continues to hold it. Nervously, I attempt to look anywhere but at the man beside me. That’s how I spot Geralt glancing back at us with a raised brow. Embarrassment strikes me and I yank my hand away, coiling it into my abdomen as if to quell the eruption of butterflies.

Instant regret tugs at me as the cold replaces the warmth of his embrace. I feel so bad about it, I can’t even bring myself to look at him. So we walk in Jaskier-esque silence. Which translates to an occasional ramble as the opportunity presents itself but not as much talking as you would normally get out of the bard.

Geralt pauses outside the location he was given, telling us to wait for him here. There’s nothing much more to do, really. One thing I’ve come to really admire over these past months is Jaskier’s blind faith in the Witcher’s ability to be to stubborn to die. Time and time again I’ve been proven that it’s a fairly reasonable belief. Besides the handful of times one of them have almost died due to that faith. But I suppose destiny has continued to side with them.

Being left alone with Jaskier feels different now. On the verge of uncomfortable. My ache to be near him is combated with the pure horror of making another mistake. It was a conundrum.

“Did I burn you?”

My eyes jump up to meet his pale blue orbs, “What?” I question. We were surrounded by nothing but earth and a mild heat from the sun. Nothing to cause any, if much, damage.

His jaw clenches in, what I can only assume is, frustration. “You sure whipped your hand away fast enough. You either got hurt or I’m about to be.” He purses his lips, brows furrowing. “So which is it, Y/n?”

The words tumble in my head, knocking into my ability to form coherent sentences that portray what I want to say; how I feel. Inhaling, I try to gather my courage to bare my soul to him. 

“Life as a mage has ingrained in me many things. All these years, I’ve learned the art of give and take. Everything has a price in my world, Jaskier. If I were to be painfully honest, I’m afraid that if I give a part of me to someone... I don’t know how much they will take.”

I stare into his eyes and I see my own vulnerable reflection staring back. “I can’t afford to lose.” It’s the truth. My entirety is built upon giving only enough to survive. To give my heart, my whole self, to someone would be a risk. It’s a luxury that can’t be had to people like me.

I hate the pity that swirls behind his expression, hate the way I care about how he thinks of me. It hurts to be so close to him and yet, feel so far. The unknown is a dangerous lover to destiny. You can never be too sure that one won’t hold the other.

“Y/n, I-”

Geralt returns, effectively cutting off Jaskier’s sentence. The Witcher is covered in a thin layer of blood and heavily coated in his signature irritation. He grunts at us as he obviously couldn’t care less about the conversation he interrupted. Silently, we follow his trek back to the tavern where he will collect what he’s owed and we can rest for the night.

At this point, feeling heavy with exhaustion and clouded with gloom, the idea of sinking into the stiff mattress of my room sounds inviting. That’s all I can focus on as we walk in true silence. Chaos is an element in which I’ve learned to control, though I sometimes wonder if that’s a cruel punishment from this world. What’s the point of being powerful if everything around me is spiraling?

When the tattered building is in view, I pick up my pace. I had been falling a ways behind the white wolf but now I’m almost stepping on his heel to get where we are going. Of course he’d take notice of this.

Holding the door open, Geralt allows me to sweep past him. It’s as if I’m on autopilot; marching up the stairs to my quarters, dressing for the night and sinking onto the edge of the bed.

I’m not one for self-pity. There’s nothing to be done but accept what you’ve been dealt. Though the cards I’ve been given have been nothing but rubbish. I wonder if Jaskier and I could work through this, if we could remain like we have been in the past. If not, then I’d have to revert back to the life I lead before.

Knock-knock-knock

Three taps. Three perfectly timed raps are placed upon my door. They’re so distinct and unexpected that they break me from my self-absorption. I’m up and opening the barrier in a flash, eyes searching for the cause to the interruption.

“Jaskier...”

He stands on the other side looking a bit sheepish. “May I?”

Standing aside, he waltzes into the room and I shut the door behind him. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?” There’s a lingering awkward that hangs between us and it makes my skin prick with unease. 

For a moment, I doubt the bard will say anything or if he’s even heard me. It all tumbles forth from his rosy lips so fast, I don’t have any time to prepare myself for what they mean. “I know you said that everything has a price and the more I thought about it, the more I couldn’t deny that truth.

“You’re afraid of the price you’ll pay for loving someone, but you shouldn’t be afraid of loving...me.” With every breath he takes a step closer, “Because I can’t promise to know what the future will hold or that we won’t lose some along the way, but I can tell you that I believe destiny has us bonded. I can tell you, without a doubt, what you would gain if you allow me to have your heart.”

I can feel his breath on my lips, fanning over the curve of my cupids bow. “What would that be?” I insist.

“My heart.” Everything inside me lurches as his lips capture mine in the sweetest embrace. The taste pulls every cobwebbed emotion from my depths and I willingly surrender to him. Because this exchange, this give and take, is one that I would gladly partake in with confidence.

His name tumbles from my lips like a mantra. I can’t get close enough to him to satisfy this hunger that’s growing inside. My very breath seems a burden in this show of affection. “I love you, Jaskier.”

It’s a whisper. Those words float between us and I can only pray he’ll catch me as I fall. His lips stretch into a wide smile, eyes lighting up with giddiness. “I love you, too.”

Here in this room, our hearts pressed up against one another’s, I feel at peace. This bard has plucked at my heart strings for so long and finally, we are in tune.

The next morning, Jaskier and I walk out hand in hand. Geralt watches us with a vaguely amused expression. “Geralt of Rivia! What a fine morning it is!” Jaskier announces, prancing about and dragging me with him as I smile widely.

Geralt’s lips turns up into a smirk, “It’s about time you two figured it out.” 

Laughing, I shake my head at them. Destiny or not, venturing into the unknown with these two makes the risk seem all the more worth it. Besides, our fate is still to be made.

Masterlist Here

A/N: I love Jaskier. That is all. - Ellie-Mae

[lemonietrinket]

Camping ||| NCT 127 & WayV x Reader

Share With Taeyong

Genre: Fluff, adventure, mystery, interactive choose-your-own-story Warning(s): References to alcohol use but nothing severe/dangerous Word Count: 2355 Ambience: here

[START]

~~~

“Can I share with you, Yongie?”

The man in question immediately sat up, cheeks aglow with tipsy rouge and a beaming smile. “Of course you can!” 

His arms flew open, childishly beckoning you over and leaving Doyoung to sigh. He didn’t say a word however, and simply shook his head, stepping further over so you could pass and he could get his bed back.  You barely had a chance to offer him a glance of an apology as Taeyong’s face turned from sunshine to a cloudy pout. 

“Y/N...!” he called with a whine.

Ah, yes, you had forgotten how needy a mildly drunk Taeyong could be.

“I’m coming, Yongie, hang on.” There was no way you could wipe the smile off your lips as you stepped awkwardly across the suitcases and to his side.

As soon as you were close enough, no matter what you had intended to do before joining him, he stretched up so he could pull you down. Slowly tumbling into his lap with a yelp, Taeyong merely hummed happily as he pulled you against his chest. His hands slipped round your waist and settled neatly across your stomach, whilst he nuzzled his nose into the back of your neck. Surprised at such the display of affection you weren’t sure what to do, especially with you turned away from him. You continued to giggle while your heart drummed against your lungs. However, when he began to rub small circles into your belly, eventually you let yourself sink into his embrace. He felt so light you were nervous to at first, but you reminded yourself that he was tougher than he looked. Besides, he was the one squeezing you tighter to the point it was getting difficult to breathe.

And so you let yourself lay back, hands joining his and stroking them as you rested your head on his shoulder, leaving him to settle his chin on yours. At your new angle you could finally see him, his shining doe eyes darkened with a sated tiredness as he blinked at you, no smile to be found.

It took you several moments to realise that was because he was exaggeratedly batting his eyelashes at you. And truth be told there was no way you could choke down the laugh that followed. You’d been about to enquire if he’d gotten something in his eyes when he shifted away, pouting at you properly with a flush of pink rising to his nose and cheeks. “What! What did I do?! Did I do something wrong—you hate me don’t you—”

Oh yeah, you’d forgotten that side of the liquor’s effects too.

“No, no Yong!” you interjected before he could ramble any further, sheepishness fluttering through your chest leading you to turn in his loosened grip, your hands reaching for his where they had retreated, “I don’t hate you, I promise I don’t hate you!” Fingers linking carefully with his, he didn’t resist though the smile didn’t return to his beautiful features even as you created a cradle for them. Beginning to worry, you looked across the tent. “Isn’t that right Doyoung?”

It was only then that your gaze glanced to the other side of the tent. You felt bad for how quickly you’d forgotten about the third person there with you, despite being well aware of the effect that Taeyong has on people—and especially you.

Though this was dashed as Doyoung replied, not sparing a single look to either of you and continuing to get into his sleeping bag, “I’m not getting involved.”

“But—!”

“Taeyong is your responsibility now, sucks to be you,” he iterated, a lilt of snark in his voice. “Rip.”

You had half a mind to go to town on him right there and then; tease him for how weird the word felt coming out of his mouth, and as to where he got it from. He was spared only because he was correct, to an extent. Taeyong was still quite upset, and if left in this state without attention for too long, he would only worsen—something you’d learned from unfortunate personal experience.

Turning back to him you found him staring at you, a concerned pout still on his face and glimmering specks in his eyes. “Ignore him Yongie, he’s playing mean.” Reaching up, you stroked the hair out of his eyes where it had fallen, before thumbing his cheeks gently. They were so soft you could’ve melted. “Why don’t we get into bed now? I think Doyoung wants to sleep and we could both do with some.”

After a moment’s thought, he mumbled, “Fine...” However, he did not seem to become any less restless. In fact as his hands left yours, he only seemed to sadden more. 

“It’s ok Yongie,” you began slowly, in the softest voice you could manage, “tomorrow you won’t even remember this.” Your assurance was met with a grumble that you couldn’t quite make out. “Yong?”

“I don’t forget you.”

As he spoke he peered back over his shoulder, and despite the storm and the dim lights he looked nothing less than a masterpiece, the inspiration of a statue briefly catching him and his neutral expression. You were left in utter silence at his cryptic words, and more so at how the corners of his lips briefly upturned before he turned back round and he began to shift himself across the bed to get himself comfortable.

Hanging back, watching him with a dozy smile on your lips, your thoughts ran wild despite what you showed to the rest of the world. Though the relief washing through you offered a temporarily ease, the nerves and confusion broke through its barrier in the end. Could you keep your cool? The man you had a crush on was going to be right next to you for a whole night. Did he feel the same or was this the drink talking? You didn’t think he was quite drunk but then again you hadn’t been there with him for that long. Then again... what did he mean by that? And would he be happy with this the next morning?

You knew you had to be very careful, for his sake.

“If you want me to sleep away from you or on the floor then that’s—”

Taeyong, now with his legs under his blankets, whipped his head up. “No! No you sleep here, next to me. So you’re nice and warm.”

“Are you sure?”

His nose scrunched briefly before he nodded with such a certainty. “I won’t let you sleep on the floor! Now come on.”

Feeling you could do little but follow his instructions, you stepped over to his side while he slipped further beneath the covers, until only his head could be seen. When it was time for you to join him, he lifted the blankets’ edges to help you under.  And no sooner were you lying on your back, blinking at the ceiling than rather confronting the man beside you, Taeyong had rolled closer and rested his head on your shoulder, fitting at your side with a hand clutching at your shirt, as if you were the only provider of safety. 

Your heart leapt and you prayed he couldn’t feel it. You felt over the moon, there was no denying it, but your thoughts continued to race. 

And then the light went out. 

Doyoung murmured an already half-asleep ‘goodnight’ that you echoed without a second thought, while Taeyong merely yawned. It was a cute little yawn, the same one you’d seen while he played animal crossing late in the evening, and it had a special way to awake the butterflies in your stomach. 

Taking the deepest breath you could manage, you folded your arm around him, just in case he took that as a sign you weren’t happy, in his tired and slightly emotional state. It earnt him pressing even closer to you, his nose nuzzling further into your neck. 

But all that followed was quiet, and once again you laid awake, listening to the drops of rain scattering across the canopy of the tent.  Taeyong’s words echoed through your head, their mantra forcing a frown on your face even while you closed your eyes, in an attempt to shut them out. It didn’t work however—you needed an answer

It was such a strange way to phrase something. It implied that he didn’t remember others, or at least to in the same way. Even though it was probably the product of his tiredness mixing with the remnants of alcohol, you couldn’t help but tease at the edges of the hope it brought you. You were special, different from the others, to him, and that meant that you have a chance. 

“Y/N...!” The whisper was low. 

“Yeah?” you answered, without a hint of grogginess.

“You’re still awake...” He sounded happy that you were.

“What’s up?”

There was a pause. “I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep again, so I’m glad I’m not alone.”

Wait, you thought, how long has it been since—

“I’m sorry that you have to take care of me.”

You felt him lift his head upwards, his breath coming to tickle your neck and you wondered what he was looking at. Of course you knew it had to be you, but you wished the dark would just subside for a moment, just to let you see for yourself. 

“I will remember it tomorrow though, I promise!”

“You will?” you uttered, hardly believing it. As soon as liquor entered his system it was as if it triggered a reset within him the next morning. He’d get up and return to being so normal that it was almost unsettling, clearing up any mess he found as he trundled into the kitchen, not a single memory of the night before flickering across his mind.  You remembered the first and only time that you’d been up before him to see it—though ‘up’ was perhaps the wrong term, since you had in fact not slept that night to have not been. Either way, you’d become a molten mess as soon as you spotted him enter the kitchen out of the corner of your eye. His presence had been so small as he slipped through the door, holding it steady so it wouldn’t close with a slam. And then he’d turned, arms crossed to retain some warmth and puffed his cheeks into the fridge. It was impossible to picture this man as the same guy that owned the stage in front of thousands. 

You would have continued your little dream, sighing  like you always did when he stood and smiled sweetly to you slouched at the island counter, when it hit you square in the gut that the real Taeyong had been talking the entire time.

“—like you. So I wasn’t wrong, because that all played a part. And now here I am, with you, finally admitting it. Wow, future-me is going to hate me.”

You cursed to yourself. 

“Really?” you said, swallowing thickly and praying that it was a suitable reaction to whatever he’d been rambling on about.

“Yes! Really!” he reiterated, voice rising from a whisper to a murmur in excitement. It was at that moment that his head lifted and he shifted his weight so he could prop himself up on one arm. His other hand trailed to yours and began to play with your fingers, lifting one to stroke his thumb across the skin there, before scooping up another. His head hovered above your own, his silhouette just standing out in the dark of the night. “Y/N, kiss me.”

You choked, “W-what?”  

The tip of his nose brushed yours as he repeated with a coy grin, “Kiss. Me. Pretty please.”

Heart pumping at a rate abnormal even for you in the vicinity of the biggest crush you’ve ever had, your thoughts flurried while you tried to string together enough words to make a response, Is he serious? Oh god what if I do badly? Will he regret it? What did he said before? Of course, of all the things you had to miss it had to be that, didn’t it?

At last, with your hand in his, your fingers threading through the hair at his nape tentatively, you answered. 

“No.”

There was silence, even the rain had hushed into fine whispers.

“You don’t like me back?” Taeyong asked, voice back down to a whisper, barely audible despite the calm of the storm.

“No, Yong, I do, I really do,” you urged, before sighing once again, cupping his cheek with your palm and giving his hand a reassuring squeeze, “it’s just... you’re drunk. I don’t want you to regret anything, to regret kissing me for the first time... because this would be our first kiss, and alcohol always makes you let things slip.”

Taeyong’s shadow didn’t move, nor did he speak. The dread that seized your stomach crept up to your lungs and throat, leaving you without air for what felt like an eternity. Until, at last, he responded.

“See?” he said, leaning into your touch, “Always taking care of me.”

A smile rose beneath your palm before he fell away and settled back down on your chest. His embrace was stronger this time, his arm wrapped around you fully, his hand holding yours. Despite your negative answer, he didn’t seem discouraged, and if his grip was anything to go by, he felt secure. 

Still, you felt bad. His set-up had a cinematic feel to it, and waiting only meant more time lost. But you reminded yourself that you had all the time in the world, there was no limit for neither you nor him.

So as his breath evened at your neck, his foot slipping across to interlink your legs, you spoke up, “Kiss me tomorrow morning?” The day following the storm was always beautiful, wasn’t it?

He laughed softly, hair tickling your ear. “Yeah, that sounds like a much better idea.”

Breathing your final sigh of relief for the night, your turned your head so your chin could rest against his crown. “Goodnight, Yongie.”

“Goodnight, Angel.”

.

.

.

Replay?

~~~

an: i feel like im in a real writing funk rn. nothing feels like its any good. or genuine. or cute or anything. is it just me or is that actually true... idk anymore

also i actually wrote out what yong was saying that yn didnt pay attention to (so when i sliced it, it would sound more realistic) and i think its really cute and funny so i dont want it to be left unknown but also its so small so idk what to do with it

᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃

Masterlist

[girlrobins]

hello!! how are you doing this evening? i've sent this ask so you can go off about any girl robin you want bc i'd love to hear about them,,

anon i appreciate you SO much, but you sent this on election night and i DID NOT have the spell slots to spare to give ur ask the time it needed that night and also this is WAY too vague to Just Go Off w/out any like, extra direction fjdkls;a

that being said, I decided to Go Off about Steph and her time as Robin, so i hope you like this! (very rambly, so its under a cut!)

okay, so firstly, before they Canonically made her Robin, I think it’s FASCINATING that that one 90s Young Justice issue speculated that steph would’ve become Robin if Jason (& subsequently tim too) hadn’t been Robins??? Skipping either or both of them is a whole Other Universe Alteration I’d like to talk abt more in-depth sometime, but its just??? The fic potential alone omg. The way that batfam dynamics could be changed around? The butterfly effect that could have???

On a slightly different note, i love the the Idea that, All Else Nearly The Same, Stephanie DOESNT die at the end of War Games &, idk, Manages to Impress Bruce enough that she DOES get to be Robin at the end. (Or alternatively, WG just doesnt happen bc Bruce never fires her idk) That as a way to expand her time as Robin beyond the mere MONTHS that we got (both in and out of canon).

Okay, like, Tim stays in retirement and Steph sticks it out as Robin up through Jason coming back (& either she and Cass are swapping with Dick and taking care of Bludhaven bc Bruce feels the need to Push his family out of Gotham in the meantime OR, she just fjkdlas;f Helps Bruce Deal with Jay like ‘oh wow, im so glad *I* didnt die, huh B?’ fjfkdlas) WAIT, steph staying Robin until Damian pops up UM HELLO. the sheer POTENTIAL of these things keeps me up at night sometimes yall. im never 100% certain how i wanna execute them in my tweaking of canon oooof......

Like, all of the girl robins obvsly don’t have a LOT of canon content to begin with, but I feel like with Steph, she’s got the best shot at getting more? or at the v least the best one that DC could do, like, brief flashback issues or smthn with?? Hell, if they really wanted to drive home the pre52/rebirth blending that they’ve hinted around here and there, Robin!Steph could be a really cool way to do that??? and give us a new adventure along the way? (like an ‘untold’ story?? There’s enough that wasn’t touched on and glossed over during her brief turn, @ dc give me more cases that she helped solve PLZ IM BEGGING)

idk!!!! i just really enjoyed stephs robin time, as brief as it was!!! and i really want more for her in the costume and just think its really sad that!!!! we really dont have that much!!!! at all!!!! (but im SUPER glad that i see more new fanart & edits for her these days, even if most of it is bc of DCeased, which.... makes my heart hurt tbh) i like zombies & z-apocalypse media well enough, but im just not quite in the Mood for it these days, so maybe i’ll catch up with it in a few months, but... for now im just... not Into It. even if it is the only new robin!steph thing ;-; i just cant dive too deeply into it rn