#so many games been postponed

[ilikeyoshi]

wish i hadn't been too frazzle brained to put the sources in that post beforehand but, well, hopefully anyone who needs them will click through to the edited post.

[papercorgiworld]

He had it coming, you had it coming

You try to put the guys in their place, but you’re in over your head.

Mattheo and Theo

Warning: short smutty story with some noncon!

I’m also writing something longer that involves all the Slytherin guys. I’ll probably post it somewhere between next week and never, who knows…

Mattheo Riddle

Mattheo always had had a short fuse, getting in more trouble than necessary, but the past week even looking at him the wrong way had him throwing punches or spells. So, the Weasley twins should’ve known better. Pulling pranks on Slytherins always was a risky game, but the wise thing would’ve been to postpone the plan of mischief and wait for Mattheo to return to his slightly more reasonable self. However, Fred and George were not known for their wisdom or patience.

You had just left the library and were on your way to your dorm, when you saw George being hit with a spell and being blasted against a wall. Leaving Fred shocked and vulnerable for an old fashioned punch. Instinctively you run towards your friends. As Fred falls to the ground, you see Mattheo pointing his wand at Fred. Without thinking you pull out yours and disarm Mattheo. You should’ve left it at that, but your frustration with the Slytherin had been building up and just reached its boiling point. With a swift flick of your want you threw him several meters back.

The hallway is filled with an immensely thick silence, a symptom of the tension. It is only then that you realize how many students saw the whole ordeal. With his wand far away, Mattheo crawls up from the floor defeated. You look at him still shocked by your own actions. His dull and defeated eyes quickly turn into scowl. “Brilliant!” You hear Ron yell from somewhere in the crowd and you actually feel satisfied with your actions. “McGonagall's coming!” Suddenly everyone scatters. You quickly pick up Mattheo’s lost wand, without anyone noticing, and walk away with your friends. “He had it coming.” Is all Mattheo hears you say before you leave his sight.

***

The next morning you go sit with the Weasley’s, when you mention you have Mattheo’s wand you get mixed reactions. Fred and George: “Wicked!” Ron: “Blimey, you really are a mad genius.” He emphasizes the ‘mad’ part. Harry panics. “That’s Voldemort’s son, what were you thinking?” No support from Hermoine. “You know what Hogwarts’ motto is.” Ron comes to your defense. “The dark lord’s spawn over there really was no sleeping dragon. He was terrorizing everyone.” Hermoine simply quirks an eyebrow. “So do your brothers.” Before the conversation escalates Ginny chimes in. “How about you return Riddle’s wand as a peace offer.” Harry mocks her words. “Peace?” Ginny simply tilts her. “Oh, you have a better idea?” Harry is silent for a moment. “Beauxbaton is a good school.” You stare at him for a moment in disbelief. “I’m not leaving Hogwarts! He’s just one guy. And I have you guys.” “Yeah, except for first period.” Hermoine points out. “No worries, Riddle always skips the first hour of class on friday.” Spoiler alert: not today.

During class Mattheo had been lounging in his chair at the back of the classroom, his eyes never leaving your back, his cocky smile ever present. You on the other hand had been chewing your lip for an hour. When class ended you practically ran outside, only to realize halfway that you had forgotten your notebook. Expecting the classroom to be empty by now you carefully open the door, stepping inside. “Professor?” “Better.” Mattheo says, closing the door behind you, locking you in. All your senses are heightened as you turn to him. “I’m here for my notebook.” Mattheo nods, grinning as he holds your book. “This?” He asks feigning innocence. “What do you want, Riddle?” You snap at him. He walks over to you with anger in eyes, but stops only inches from you. “My wand back.” He takes a step pushing you back. “Maybe, my dignity back.” Another step, you hit one of the desks in the room. You can’t back up anymore and he towers over you. “But mostly, you.” His lips smack onto yours, pushing you onto the desk behind you, hips clashing into another. Your mouth falls open when he squeezes your ass, giving Mattheo the opportunity to deepen the kiss. He keeps rolling his hard dick against your pussy and the sensations start building up, making you moan. This is the only signal Mattheo needs to unzip his pants, revealing his hard cock to you. A simple ‘oh’ is all that escapes your mouth at the view. Mattheo makes quick work of your panties. He lines himself up with your cunt, teasing your folds with his tip. “You had it coming, love.” Is all he says before turning you into a moaning screaming mess.

Theodore Nott

You and Nott had been academic rivals and you got on each other's nerves a lot, but never like this. Professor Slughorn stared at you with a frightened look as you turned your entire bag upside down in search of your 6 page essay. You were going insane, you had worked too hard on it for it to just disappear on the date you had to turn it in. “Well, you can always turn it in tomorrow.” The professor offers. “But then I will lose points for being late. I swear I have it here somewhere.” You can hear Theodore snicker in amusement as you’re losing it. Then it hits you. Of course. Playing dirty to make sure I don’t steal your top of the class spot. Oh, but, I can play dirty too, Nott!

You come up with a genius plan, to have your revenge. In between homework and rewriting your potion’s essay you manage to gather all the ingredients you need. The next day you make your way to the kitchens, carefully calculating where Theo will sit and from which cup he will drink. You’ve always been friendly to all houselves so when they see you’re up to no good, they look away allowing you to carry out your plan. You hurry to make your way to the great hall for breakfast and watch as Theo drinks his orange juice like a good boy. You are already having so much fun knowing Theo will get into trouble because of you.

First up: poisons class. You take up your regular spot next to Neville and Theo goes to sit in the back by himself, since his potion’s partner is as always skipping class. The first time you look over at Theodore he’s scribbling down notes next to the instructions in the book, the next time you glance over his head is on the table and he’s softly asleep. You smile content with the result of your scheme. You see Slughorn squint his eyes a few times in annoyances as he looks over to his favorite student sleeping in class. Right before the end of class, Slughorn makes his way over to Theodore to slam the book in front him shut with a hard thud, waking a very confused Slytherin. “I must say I’m disappointed in you. Am I really boring you this much?” Theodore’s eyes widened. “No professor. I, I don’t know what happened.” “Did some girl get you all exhausted, Theo?” Blaise snickers, making everyone laugh. “No need for jokes, Zabini.” The professor dryly states, disappointment all over his face. Blaise raises his eyebrows suggestively at Theo still waiting for an answer, but he simply shakes his head. No, no girl kept me up all night.

He scans the room, gathering his books as everyone is making their way to the door. His eyes fall on you, you’re looking the other way but he can still see a mischievous smile tugging at your lips. Maybe there is a girl involved after all. As you leave with your friends Theo hurries behind you, overhearing you talk. “After what he did, he had it coming.”

You’re still enjoying the image of Theodore’s confused face during class as you walk alone to the DADA classroom. Suddenly a strong hand grabs your wrist pulling you to an empty hallway. “You played dirty, (y/l/n). Why did you do that?” You scoff, pulling your hand from Theo’s grip. “You stole my six page essay. You know how long I've worked on that.” Theo takes a step closer, clearly frustrated with you. “I did not steal your essay. I don't need tricks like that to be the best.” You poke his chest with your finger. “You did. Admit it! You played dirty.” He grabs your hand and pushes you against the wall. “I don’t need to play dirty to out best you in poisons.” You fall silent as his body pushes against yours. You make the mistake of looking in his eyes, sparking something inside of him.

“But, I might just play dirty with you.” With that he grabs your arm and turns you around. Your hands rest against the wall keeping you steady as his weight presses against you. “What are you doing?” You manage to whisper while his lips brush your ear and cheek. His lips settle on the flesh of your neck just below your ear. You gasp and throw your head back a little, resting on his shoulder. With you distracted by the sudden kiss his hand quickly slides up your inner thighs. Before you’ve properly processed where he’s going Theo has already slipped his hand down your panties, two fingers exploring your folds. You’re still locked between the wall on which you rest your hands for much needed support and Theo’s warm weight against you back as he mercilessly digs his fingers in your pussy. Soft whimpers leave your lips and Theo presses himself even more against you. “Are you enjoying yourself?” When you don’t immediately respond he starts circling your clit even more. You want to protest, but all you do is moan his name. “You’re close aren’t you, princes?” You bite your lip to keep yourself from screaming as he says the pet name with a husky voice. You only nod as a response to his question.

Then suddenly his fingers leave your desperate cunt and his warmth also disappears as he takes a step back. A weak sound of protest leaves you and he simply stares at you with a cocky smile as you push your thighs together to deal with his sudden absence between your legs. He licks your juices off his fingers and turns away from you. “What are you doing?” You ask, way more desperate than you intended to. “Playing dirty, princes. You had it coming.” You watch him walk away, craving his touch.

[michelle-is-writing]

Wedding Mornings, Spencer Reid

Word Count: 2.2k~

As a child, I always wondered if I would ever find the right person for me. Having no luck to find such a person as a teenager, I ended up wondering if I would even find a husband, better yet, my soul mate. In years to come, I would start to believe that I would be alone forever.

However, once I moved to Washington DC and found a job at the Melvin Gelvin library, I soon befriended a man that visited there a lot. I had seen him in the research section before, but he never came up to my desk for help. I thought he was cute, in all honesty, but I didn't want to come off as too confident and go up to him to see if he needed help when I never did that with anyone else in the library.

So, the one day he did come up to me and ask me where to find a book I had seen him take out many times, I smiled and nodded before helping him find the book. He was nervous asking me his question, and I couldn't help but be a little nervous as well. Although, once we found the encyclopedia for Philosophy, he introduced himself as Spencer Reid, and I couldn't help but rejoice as my name fell from my lips in return. Finally, I got to learn the name of the man who I had shared glances with so many times, yet, we never interacted - up until then.

After that, it felt like a free-game. Anytime Spencer came into the library, he was asking me for books that I knew very well he was aware of where they would be. In spite of this, I always helped him, and after he checked out the third book I had seen him read many times before, Spencer finally asked me out for coffee.

Unfortunately, our date kept getting postponed because of Spencer's job. At first, I thought he was backing out in regret since it had already taken him so long to ask me out in first place. However, once we did go on that date, I discovered that that wasn't even a tiny fraction as to why he kept rescheduling. As soon as I found out that Spencer held such a huge responsibility with a job that relied on him to capture mass murderers and kidnappers, I found myself in complete admiration for him. Not to mention the fact that all of the science books he had been checking out weren't for class or education - he already earned his degrees in those fields beforehand.

Now that I have a dazzling ring on my finger, I'm even happier that I was patient in waiting for Spencer to finally make it to our date. I knew how long I waited for that coffee shop date he promised - six-whole-weeks. However, I never knew how long I was waiting for a man like Spencer to make his way into my life until I found out how much I truly loved him. Through saying those three words that are often said too much, I discovered that I had waited my entire life to find Spencer, and when he proposed to me in Rossi's garden one late night, I found out that Spencer truly felt the same way.

Soon enough, the months before our wedding slowly passed until the brightest week of our lives came up, and once that started, it was like everything was going at twice the speed it should have been going. All of my bridesmaids (JJ, Emily, (f/n), and Penelope) ran around like chickens with their heads cut off while Spencer's groomsmen (Derek, Aaron, and Rossi) did the same. Even during the morning of my wedding, everyone was running around to get things done while I just stayed in my bride's quarter's kitchen and did the same thing I did every other morning.

"I'm just saying," Penelope starts, watching as I pour freshly made coffee into a mug for Spencer. "It's bad luck for a groom to see the bride before the wedding!" She reminds me, causing me to smile.

"I thought that was only if the bride was wearing her dress," I point out, adding more sugar than actual coffee into the mug. "And, besides," I add, giving the coffee one last stir before placing the spoon down on the counter. I have no idea how Spencer can drink this stuff with nearly half of the mug filled with sugar.

Turning toward Penelope with the steaming mug in hand, my eyes quickly catch onto the expertly made bouquet in her hands, every flower I wanted beautifully bundled together with a gorgeous (f/c) bow wrapped around the stems. How is she so good at any creative thing she does?

"I've made Spencer his coffee every morning since our first day living together, Pen," I tell her, smiling as I think about the fond memory. Sometimes he'll make me a cup too if I haven't done so myself. "I don't want to miss a day because of some old, wise tale that's probably been taken out of its original context," I add, slightly smirking as I know that's the truth. Once the words leave my mouth, Penelope can't resist the smile the makes it's way onto her lips as she shakes her head.

"Well, I don't think anything I say is going to stop you," She notes, earning a head nod back from me. She's right. Nothing is going to make me halt in my actions of bringing Spencer his coffee - not even a silly little fairytale.

Heading out of the hotel room in only my silk pajamas that match the rest of the girls' clothes, I find myself walking across the hall with my heart pounding in my chest. It's strange to just now realize that today is the official start of my forever. It's a fantastic feeling, but at the same time, it's giving me a high that I feel like I can't come down from. It's a dangerous, yet blissful thing.

Just as I round the corner to walk to the other end of the hall, my eyes quickly catch onto a familiar figure leaving his hotel room. There's no way I could ever forget those brunet curls or the slender body of the man I love. Although, what is a bit odd is that he's currently carrying a coffee mug of his own. I guess he didn't think that I'd stick to what we've always done.

"Good morning, handsome," I greet Spencer, causing him to lightly jump before turning around and seeing me. Once his eyes land on my pajama covered figure, he visibly calms down with a small sigh and smile.

"I wanted to go and see you, but the guys wouldn't let me. So, I had to sneak out," Spencer explains with a shake of his head, making me laugh. Just as I do that, Spencer's whole demeanor changes as if he's softening up. His tense shoulders loosen while his posture relaxes a bit, another sigh leaving his slightly smiling lips as he does so. He looks calmer than any other time I can remember.

"You... you look amazing," he compliments me, causing me to blush with a wide smile. My hair is an absolute mess right now, a majority of it up in a clip as I haven't brushed it yet. Not to mention my face doesn't even have a touch of makeup on it and I'm still in pajamas - there's nothing about me that says "amazing" right now. I don't know how Spencer can say such things.

"Thank you, baby," I tell him, taking a few steps forward before planting a kiss to his cheek. Despite today being the day of our wedding, Spencer's cheeks turn to light pink in response to my lips touching them as they always do, and I can't help but smile as I see the rose color take over his skin. Despite what some people say, I truly believe there's a good chance it will always be this way.

"I made you coffee for this morning," I tell him, gesturing to the steaming mug in my hand. "But I didn't know you made your own already," I further add, watching as the corner of Spencer's lip quirks up. Is he surprised that I would do this?

"Actually," he starts, holding the cup out to me. "I made this for you - that's why I was heading out of the room so I could go and give it to you," Spencer explains, trading mugs with me as a bright smile takes over his face. "I'm glad that we both had the same idea."

Smiling back, I nod before taking a sip from the cup of coffee Spencer made me, Spencer following in suit with the cup that I made him. We both let out a small, satisfied groan as the taste of coffee reaches our lips.

"You always manage to make my coffee perfect," Spencer points out, making my heart clench. He's so adorable, and he doesn't even realize it.

"And I'll never forget it, love, not for a long time," I tell him, leaning closer to kiss his cheek. However, before I can do so, Spencer takes the chance to wrap his free arm around me and pull me against him. Now satisfied, Spencer gives off a small hum before leaning down and pressing his lips to mine. In his arms, I feel the happiest I've felt this morning, and with the events of today being added in, I am more than ecstatic right now. Making coffee for Spencer every morning for the rest of my life is only a small fraction of what our marriage is going to be, and I can't help but look forward to doing it.

"I'm so glad we're doing this," Spencer confesses, pulling away from my lips to rest his nose against mine. Smiling, I gently sigh as I feel his hand on my waist sliding underneath my pajama top and onto my skin. His touch is so gentle that I could almost mistake it for a cloud touching me. "I've waited so long for this."

"I wish we would've done it sooner," I admit, nuzzling the side of my face into Spencer's soft sleep shirt. "Then I could've been Mrs. Reid for a long time now," I point out, turning my eyes up to the smiling man holding me.

"I do like the sound of that," Spencer murmurs, smirking as he leans farther down to press his lips to my neck. "Misses Reid," He slowly says my new title, each syllable rolling off his tongue smoothly. Even before we were engaged, he would jokingly call me that, but now that I'm actually Mrs. Reid, my love for the name has only grown.

With that, Spencer and I connect our lips in another sweet kiss while holding each other close. In his arms, I feel the warmest and happiest I have ever been. Nothing could ruin this moment between us. It's simply too perfect.

"Stop making out in the hallway! You'll be doing enough of that later!" A stern voice interrupts us, causing Spencer and me to look over to the hotel room door he stepped out of a few seconds ago. Hanging out of the empty doorway is Derek who's smirking with an accusing eyebrow. "Isn't it bad luck to see the bride before the ceremony?"

"Actually, Derek, it's only bad luck if-" Spencer argues Derek just as another voice cuts in.

"What are you two doing?!" A shout sounds throughout the hall, the tone full of Penelope Garcia's typical sassiness. Immediately, both of our heads shoot toward the end of the hall where the spunky blonde stomps toward us. "What have you two been doing?!"

"Derek, help us," I beg, turning my head back to Spencer's best man. Instead of doing what I actually asked, Derek laughs and shakes his head while holding his hands up.

"Oh no," he starts, "I'm not suffering at the hands of the woman behind you."

"Yeah," Penelope states, matter-of-factly. "I would be scared too if I were you, missy," just as soon as the words leave her lips, Penelope puts her hand on my arm and practically drags me out of Spencer's arms while Derek does the same to Spencer, both mindful of the mugs in our hands.

"You can see your beautiful bride in a couple of hours," Derek assures my soon-to-be-husband while he gives me one last kiss. As soon as his lips touch mine, I realize this is the last kiss before the one kiss we get to share that marks our forever with each other. Plus, I have no doubt that our friends will be cheering and teasing us as we do so - just like Derek and Penelope do right now. Just at the single thought, I can hardly wait.

[thisbuildinghasfeelings]

TK Babe/Baby ❤️🌈

A quote from every single time TK has called Carlos "babe" or "baby" SO FAR.

Babe/Baby Key under the cut!

Color-coded Key (I can't make text yellow, so pretend the pink is yellow!)

Thanks for being here babe. 2x02: TK thanking Carlos for being there for the tumor cake party.

Hi, baby. 2x08: A concussed TK greeting Carlos as he rushes in to save him from the murderous kidnapping bank robbers.

Two wheats, babe. 2x11: During a game of Catan.

Babe, thank god you're here. 2x12: When Carlos arrives at the firehouse as TK is fretting over why Owen got arrested for arson.

Baby, do you smell that? 2x12: When sex was interrupted by a fire.

Yeah, babe. 2x14: TK telling Carlos about Mateo's mic-drop moment during the dust storm.

Hey, baby, breathe. 3x04: TK waking up from a coma to tell Carlos to breathe.

Baby, it's 3 in the morning. 3x05: TK coming to look for Carlos when he's working on the missing child case at 3 in the morning.

Hi, babe, perfect timing. 3x07: TK greeting Carlos with an offer to play next when Carlos arrives at the firehouse to tell them about the Red vs Blue controversy.

Babe, I know you're going through it. 3x11: TK trying to get Carlos to cool it with the rage punching.

Our meeting's at 5 babe. 3x13: TK declining Carlos' offer for coffee or tea because he and Cooper have to get to their meeting.

I don't even know what that means, babe. 3x13: TK's response to Carlos telling him that he's just "trying to figure out what my place is."

Hi, baby. 3x13: TK greeting Carlos when coming home from a meeting.

Hey, babe. 3x15: TK greeting Carlos when coming home with a lizard.

Hey, baby. 3x15: TK greeting Carlos when coming home with mealworms.

Hey...babe. 3x15: TK trying his best to distract Carlos from the fact that Lou has escaped.

Oh my god, babe. 3x15: TK's reaction to finding out that Carlos found Lou and put him safely back in his tank.

Baby. 3x18: TK waking Carlos up to propose to him.

Baby, I'm serious. 3x18: TK reassuring Carlos that he's serious about this proposal.

Baby, this isn't drama. 3x18: TK telling Carlos that it isn't drama inspiring the proposal, it's love.

And baby, my life has been scarred with loss. 3x18: TK continuing to explain to Carlos the reasoning behind his proposal.

And baby, we only get so many. 3x18: TK emphasizing that every moment they're not married is a wasted moment and they only get so many moments.

Hi, baby. 4x01: TK greeting Carlos when he arrives at the firehouse.

Baby, that's fantastic! 4x01: TK's reaction to Carlos telling him that the dream wedding venue is available in 8 weeks.

Hey, babe, I was getting worried. 4x03: TK answering Carlos' call right before Carlos goes into the tunnel to get shoveled.

Stay with me, baby. 4x04: TK resuscitating Carlos.

Come on, baby. 4x04: More resuscitation.

Oh, baby, you saved your own life. 4x04: TK's response to Carlos' thanking him for saving his life.

Ok, babe. 4x12: TK nervously getting ready to interview officiants.

Babe, you don't even hike here. 4x12: TK trying to bring Carlos back to reality a bit after he says he wants to hike the Great Wall.

Babe, it's beautiful. 4x12: TK's response to being presented with a bearded dragon.

*gasp* Babe! 4x14: TK's reaction to Carlos' reveal as the pudding thief.

Yeah, babe. 4x15: TK confirming that he can see photos of the possible suspects for the kidney patient who gave him a black eye.

Babe, my dad's calling. 4x16: TK calling Carlos over to the call with Owen to find out the results of his Huntington's test.

Oh my god, baby, I'm freaking out. 4x16: TK freaking out before picking up the phone.

Babe. 4x17: TK's response to Gabriel making the offer for Carlos to join the Texas Rangers.

You should really try to, babe. 4x18: TK's response to Carlos telling him he doesn't feel much like sleeping the night after his father's funeral.

You've got nothing to be sorry about, baby. 4x18: TK reassuring a grief-stricken Carlos as they're about to postpone the wedding.

Hey, babe. 4x18: TK coming home to Carlos trying to set up a VCR.

Baby, have you been up all night? 4x18: TK waking up to a spiraling Carlos who has indeed been up all night.

Baby, when's the last time you slept for more than a couple hours? 4x18: TK trying to encourage a spiraling Carlos to get some sleep.

[snvffsoda]

some random/silly headcanons for Fox!!

highly experienced knife fighter, and knows basic hand-to-hand combat with or without a karambit, don’t let his height and age fool you, years of using his wits and his strengths to his benefit have gotten him not only far in life but many many, many, victims nowadays he doesn't even need to do all the hard work, he can just point at whoever he wants to brutalize on his next stream and they're there, but his skills are no laughing matter, many have tried to fight back taking his height and age as a means to overpower him and while in very rare cases strength has won over skill (which is why he uses guards now) it usually ends with the victim being clawed out or unconscious by the end of it

locked away, in an old safe somewhere, ren still keeps strades old button up he just can't..let it go, no matter how hard he tries he hates the man, what he's done to him, the lies he fooled Ren into the belief that his torture was to become deeper, to have a bond no other could have, Ren knows to know it was just strades own selfish desires and its those desires that got him killed, he knows better to admire the man, but..even now, when he’ll sit in his penthouse and wonder, what could've been, he thinks if Strade would be proud of him, if he could see him now.

the reason he hasn't been streaming much as of late anymore is well, he's getting older. Don't get him wrong, he loves the thrill of it all! excitedly asking his chat and bidders questions to the highest seller like a twisted game of family feud, the blood rush he gets when he saws off the leg of a victim, or slices their throat all for the eyes of his viewers to see, he loves the thrill, the hunt, but sometimes, as much as he plans his schedules, and outfits, and ideas of torture, most days, he wants to enjoy the quiet, the sound of his favorite anime playing slowly while sipping coffee, the fun of taking a vacation simply because he can and he feels like it, he knows it's stale and boring but he likes it, and hopes eventually he can take some well deserved time for himself

always on time and on schedule with anything, and everything meetings, streams, handling his guards around, food, and doesn't like changing his schedule (he's a busy man) he doesn't like when he's late to something at all, or when someone else is, and will get irritated if someone or something, gets in the way of that, whether it be as simple as a scheduled limo being late, or a meeting that was postponed

even at the ripe old age of 47 (which he still denies being old) he still has amazing hygiene and grooming routines, but now he has the luxury of a hell of a lot more money than he did when he was younger, so his tail and hair is on a whole other level of soft, even when he isn't trying to, he's been told by not only his associates but his closer allies that being his guards that he always smells nice, never a smelly day for the fox, unless he gets too excited with a stream or two that is, then maybe with all the blood, and bile that gets spilled on him, he may not smell the best,

if he likes you, and keeps you to himself, he’ll spoil you rotten, whatever it is you want or desire he will make sure it's handled and given with care and affection, of course, some nights he may ask you to dress up for him, or maybe he’d bring his knife to the equation in sex or foreplay (he loves the way you bleed) but he's always sweet and comforting about it, sure you may see him be stressed due to a scheduling error, or his chat not being as active as they were a day before, but he always has a soft spot for you, even if he's angry.

loves rambling about his favorite anime to you and his affection towards the style of art as a whole, he loves just being able to be silly, watch his eyes light up as he talks about the newest episode of his anime and how he can't believe that character betrayed who and how much he loves this character, he's a weeb at heart, even now, and he accepts it, and is very passionate about it

has contemplated starting a separate gaming stream before, but knows that his type of content wouldnt work since it would be hard for a viewer to sped 1,000 dolars to see him gouge someone's eye out and then 2 minutes later that same viewer seeing Fox play genshin Impact, though he wishes he could just do it once in and while alas, he usually plays his games when off streams usually, but will occasionally forget to close them and it'll be left it on in the background while he does his snuff streams, the sound of peaceful anime tunes playing just subtly in the background for any eagle-eyed viewer of his streams to notice

since his job constantly has him being extroverted and charismatic to keep viewers and bidders entertained, when he's not working he is actually pretty quiet most times, of course, he’ll laugh and smile, and be joyful, he just naturally is, but there's definitely a noticeable switch in his personality when the cameras are on and when they're off, he just seems quieter, more likely to hum in response pleasantly to someone rather than give them a barking laugh with a smile, not that he's sad, he's just ‘recharging his social battery’ as he likes to put it

has an extremely keen scent and can recognize almost everyone he knows from their scent alone so if he's ever blindfolded (he could be for any number of reasons) his senses heighten even more and he can smell things perfectly and stronger, and when eating something really good that being his favorite raw meats or culinary dishes, his eyes will pinpoint and glow in excitement from the flavors and texture he can't help it when he does, and he’ll tend to make more animalistic growling feral sounds when he's eating something he REALLY LIKES whether that be chicken hearts, or your actual heart <3

[edelfie]

#𝓣𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘! who’s that girl?

Y/N L/N is a nobody. well, maybe that’s a stretch, but it’s nothing compared to the other words the media uses to describe you. washed up, irrelevant, talentless—any cruel word or insult has or will be thrown your way. but 10 years in the game has forced you to grow thick skin, even if the supposed quality of your music doesn’t suit it. so why is it that today, of all the days, you awake to the worst news imaginable—worse than all the name-calling and jeers?

or, you open twitter. it doesn’t go well.

BLIND ITEMS! —

## this millionaire’s daughter influencer is known for buying many of her followers across all platforms. however, brands and colleagues ignore it because of the fat check lining her pockets.

## this one-of-a-duo A-list model is having business disputes with his other half and sibling. apparently, he wants more creative control over their projects despite having been in the industry for less time. it’s so serious that legal litigation is in the works. [revealed: lev haiba, alisa haiba]

## the not-so-indie band’s newest album is rumored to be about a controversial figure in the industry. this figure has already produced an album about the lead singer years ago, however it failed to garner any publicity.

## off-the-charts wannabe pop star is postponing her next album because her team knows her career is over if she doesn’t chart well. after nearly a decade in the industry and without a single long-lasting, cultural hit, she’s better off waiting tables than writing music. [revealed: Y/N L/N]

gracetheestallion. the haiba twins fighting ?? i can’t believe, like actually

colormeshocked. if y/n doesn’t clutch up rq then i’m gonna be so sad for her — underdawg. honestly, it’s just not fair how she’s treated by the industry — garagoesgaga. it’s “unfair”? she literally only makes trash songs and hooks up with men in relationships, girl bye — underdawg. your misogyny is showing, ugly <3 — garagoesgaga. wowwwww insults, so mature. average iq of a y/n fan

read more…

NOTES! —

Two posts in one day? It's more likely than you think! Anyways, today's fundraiser is for the family and sons of Reyna and Javier. Reyna and Javier lost their lives in a fatal crash, leaving their three sons without parents. Of their sons, one of them was dependent on their parents as he has been wheelchair bound all his life. In this brief period of time, he has lost both his parents and his primary caregivers. The entire family is feeling the financial strain of the sudden loss, so every help counts. Please consider donating here on GoFundMe or copy the link and share it online!

If you're new here, or even if you're not since I'm just starting to post again, I strive to bring attention to different fundraisers in all my posts. I primarily focus on sharing the stories of individuals in dire need, such as refugees in Gaza or those experiencing sudden homelessness, however there is no comparison between struggles, grief, and loss here! So I also take the time to share the stories of families such as Reyna and Javier's, and would deeply appreciate it if you could show them some much needed love as well.

I won't say too much, but as someone who has had the cards stacked against them (being a poc, nonbinary, queer, a religious minority, etc.) and has experienced my own share of loss, I can say that while the pain doesn't feel the same, the knife digs itself into you either way. My family was privileged enough to afford a funeral for my grandfather, who recently passed, but with many other family members getting older in age and being taken by the devil that is cancer, it does make me nervous as to how we will make it through. Regardless, I just hope that my plea and the stories I share will implore you to help others—not out of moral or societal obligation or to save face, but out of humanity and compassion <3

SEVEN EVIL EXES + MASTERLIST + NEXT

© all rights reserved—edelfie (2024) // do not plagiarize, modify, copy, use, translate, or repost my work on other sites without permission

[wave2tyun]

policy of truth and lies | ☆

pairing: huening kai x reader

genre: highschool!au (kinda), band!txt, brother's best friend!kai, fluff, a bit suggestive

summary: a little white lie never hurts sometimes. to what lengths are you willing to go to protect it?

warnings: mentions of throwing up

word count: 3.3k

a/n: this all started just from my silly little desire to write a fic with the brother's best friend trope absdjhabj but honestly, this is one of the fics that i am most proud of, it has a special place in my heart :(<3 shout out to all my dear ningdungies!!!!😼😼💞 i love you all a lot!!!!<33 (and i hope you manage to survive this!!!)

☆ = repost from my old blog!!

“carefully planned-out coincidences” - that’s what your encounters with kai were; something that would appear unsuspicious to the naked eye, yet so obvious to a love connoisseur.

a fixed set of rules had been established in order for such meetings to be successfully completed, and continued.

1. no texting each other when you’re next to others. people love to snoop and steal a glance at your phone screen, getting you easily busted.

2. no form of physical touch is allowed on school grounds, unless you’re well-hidden. you never know what pair of eyes could be lurking around.

and, the most important one of them all: 3. do not, under no circumstances, get caught by soobin.

your brother tended to be more of a quieter person with an almost inhumane kind of calmness in him. that, however, did not apply when it came to unveiling lies. had he found out you had been kissing his best friend behind his back, it would have certainly not turned pretty. you knew that the longer you kept it away from him, the harder it would be to reveal the truth. even so, you kept postponing it, as you couldn’t figure out the right way to do it. you couldn’t just randomly go up to him and say: “remember that halloween party we held last year? yeah, me and kai kissed while you were in pain, next to the toilet bowl, releasing the obscene amount of sweets you had eaten that night”.

it was not the most romantic scenario, obviously, but it was one of the very few moments when soobin and kai weren’t glued at the hip, and neither of you could take the tension anymore. taking your brother’s pitiful cries out of the image, the kiss was actually quite sweet. and no, it wasn’t because of the jelly beans kai had eaten prior to that- maybe only party. the actual reason was kai’s hand on your waist, accompanied by the breathy “can i…?” that he whispered against your cheek.

as cheesy as it may sound, it’s a night that you will never forget.

-for various reasons.

one of them being the fact that it was pretty much the the starting point of a certain “shift” in your relationship with kai. from that day onward, it seemed like both of you tried to find as many opportunities as possible to be in each other’s presence. oh- kai came over and wanted a glass of water from downstairs? whew- well, you were thirsty too, looks like you had to go to the kitchen with him. kai was left on dish-washing duty after parties? you could spare a few minutes to help him out. movie night with the boys? the only free spot was so conveniently the one next to kai.

it was thrilling, adrenaline-inducing. you could never be too sure whether you were subtle enough, or completely alone, so you had to walk on eggshells every single time, no matter what. it got exhausting though, and you wished that, at least for once, kai could come over to your house to see you, not soobin.

kai, on the other hand, was definitely more of a risk taker than you, one that saw no harm in breaking some of the rules every once in a while.

and there are no risks, without possible consequences.

it was something that kai had learned…the hard way…on the lovely day of february 14th.

soobin had invited kai to spend the day together, playing games and trying out all the mystery flavors of a heart-shaped chocolate box. initially, they weren’t supposed to be the ones indulging in the sweet treat, but soobin had chickened out before giving it to his crush at school that day. sulking uncontrollably, he called his best friend so that they could console themselves from the soul-crushing fact that they were both (to soobin’s knowledge) “single”.

while he felt bad for his downcast pal, kai also couldn’t take his mind off you. love was in the air, after all: the rom-com that played on his tv as he was getting ready to come to your house, the lovey-dovey songs playing on the radio, the couples getting affectionate on the streets- they only added further to the burning desire that he felt today, more than ever, to see you. and perhaps…not only see you.

depending on the situation, those coincidences would often consist of: hand-holding underneath blankets or tables, winks sent to redden the other one’s cheeks and, if you were lucky, an exchange of swift, tiny pecks.

none of the outcomes above satisfied him though. the more he thought about crossing paths with you, the more he wished to caress your face, to hold you in his arms- to have an intimate moment with you that involved something more than a “kiss and run” type of situation.

“hey- the race started, why are you not moving?” soobin exclaimed, his mario kart character moving way farther than kai’s across the screen.

snapping out of it, kai shook his head, placing the controller down onto the coffee table before excusing himself “i have to go to the bathroom-” he said as he placed one hand on his stomach, mustering up all his theatre acting skills to put on a pained expression on his face “i think those sweets aren’t sitting right with me”

as soon as he finished that statement, kai basically flew up the stairs, skipping 2-3 steps at once. he made sure to flip the light switch to the bathroom before striding towards your room, to make it seem like he was there.

kai made his entrance with a finger over his lips and a catlike smile.

“what are you doing? you can’t be in here-” you whisper-shouted. kai had never- ever been in your room up until that point. it was too dangerous.

however, you still gave in, not pushing him back through the door he came in from.

he walked closer, coming to cup your face in his hands “i wanted to see you”

“is that so?” you asked coyly.

kai smiled more, sensing the bit of happiness sneaking into your voice beside your attempts to appear mad at him.

“it is so” he answered, waver in his voice from excitement.

“if you don’t believe me, then i guess i could go back to soob-”

“no-” you tugged kai’s arm, laughing “stay, i was kidding”

kai turned on his heel, lips falling into place perfectly on top of yours, transferring his smile to you in an instant “you know i didn’t intend on actually doing it” he whispered, caressing your cheek.

“i know” you chuckled “but you have to make it up to me for the teasing”

you pulled at the collar of kai’s shirt, waiting for him with closed eyes to initiate another kiss. kai chuckled before connecting your lips back together, starting off with agonizingly quick pecks, then attempting to initiate something more through longer, fervent kisses that trailed down to your neck, all while he slowly made you walk backwards to your bed. it wasn’t long before you hit the mattress and the two of you ended up tangled in your sheets, with one hand tugging at kai’s hair and the other one at his shirt as he hovered over you. soft gasps escaped through your mouth- the only acceptable way to lightly catch your breath, as it didn’t involve letting go of each other.

a knock on the door, however, sent kai flying through the air.

“y/n? can i come in?” soobin asked, completely oblivious to the events happening on the other side of the piece of wood that his knuckles had grazed a second ago.

the strong fear that he’d come barging in before you answered, turned you to push the poor lover boy away earlier, catapulting him onto the floor, the fluffy rug hardly alleviating his pain.

“what was that sound- are you hurt?” you heard a worried shout. it was a clear sign that you had no more than five seconds to prepare for disaster.

“i’m coming in, okay?”

seeing the doorknob twist, kai had no time to process his anguish. he wriggled his way underneath your bed, pulling down the blanket to hide his body.

“everything alright…?” soobin took two steps into your room then froze. the sight of your disheveled bed as well as your poor, motionless figure, scrambled up his feelings of concern with confusion.

“yeah- never been better” you replied, brushing out any folds on your clothes with your hand.

soobin’s eyebrow raised in suspicion; it was hard to make your breathing seem normal when your lungs burned like an athlete who had ran a marathon.

“i swear i heard a loud noise coming from your room-”

“nope, uh- nothing here. i was sleeping before you came in” you yawned, stretching your arms up in the air to reinforce your previous statement.

kai placed a hand over his mouth, careful so as not to move the blanket or make any sounds- why did you have to say something that would direct soobin’s attention right in his direction? your brother sneaked another glance at your bed, judging its unusually messy state.

“are you building a bird nest or something?” he huffed, placing his hand on the doorknob, about to leave “don’t answer that actually- i don’t want to know. i just wanted to tell you that the pizza is gonna arrive in about thirty minutes. if you don’t come down on time, i can’t promise that there’ll be any left for you”

with that, the door was shut, allowing your body to slide down to the floor in relief- and the breath trapped in kai’s lungs to be released.

it was only after this incident that kai’s venturesome nature seemed to be slightly tamed. not once did he try to sneak into your room again, nor did he dare to bring up the matter. the one and only thing that he could do, was to look up at you with troubled, wary eyes as he pecked your lips, knowing that it didn’t stand in his power to do more.

nevertheless, it wasn’t long before he proceeded to go back to his usual antics, the feeling inside his heart all too unbearable.

after all, not everyone can resist temptation, can they?

people knew that it wasn’t an unusual occurrence for you to be spotted in and outside the school with the most in demand band of the city, txt- your school’s pride and joy, which both your brother and his best friend were part of. so, whenever you tagged along with them, say it were to a local show, backstage, or during rehearsals, no one questioned a thing.

what was uncommon though, was you receiving private messages from the band’s notably fine pianist, kai, and giggling while responding to him, on top of it all.

this scene was witnessed by a certain someone who you thought had fallen fast asleep in the middle of class. little did you know how effective the bell ringing was to wake him up and how he had the most perfect view to the conversation taking place on your phone screen.

kai

[9:17 am] can you stay after the rehearsal today?^3^

[9:18 am] i miss you…

the witness slowly placed their head back on their desk, choosing to stay silent. this kind of matter required evidence, direct confirmation, and therefore they chose to follow you around for the rest of the day, like a shadow, thoroughly analyzing your words and actions; the texts were your first strike of the day, could there have been anything else you were keeping in the dark? the answer is yes, and you can take that literally- it turns out that the lonely, far corner of the school library makes a good spot for “discreet” pda.

you and kai were tucked away in that poorly lit spot, hugging, laughing- blissfully unaware of the third pair of eyes there with you, glossed with anger and action-driven by betrayal.

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

“and that’s a wrap- good job guys” yeonjun clapped his hands, turning from the microphone stand to face the group with a smile.

“kai, cleaning duty is on you today. make sure you don’t forget to lock up the doors before you leave” yeonjun threw the keys in kai’s direction, which he caught effortlessly.

“what? you always ditch on me when we get paired up together- what could have possibly gotten in the way this time?” kai’s brows furrowed in annoyance. he wasn’t one to enjoy picking a fight, but yeonjun was taking too much advantage of his compassionate nature. he had enough of all the chores landing on him every week, without fail.

“scored a date with that girl from the mall” yeonjun winked “which, by the way- starts in less than half an hour. so, i gotta go, sorry buddy. maybe you can get somebody else to help you”

everybody else’s eyes turned to the floor after yeonjun parted ways with them, blurting out random reasons to be excused: “i have a project to finish” “i did it last time” “i just don’t want to do it” ; nobody was enthusiastic about staying at school overtime.

nobody, except for you. you were about to say an excuse of your own when the realisation hit you: you and kai? alone? with none of the boys around? it was a rare occurrence, one even rarer than the blue moon. you couldn’t simply pass by it.

“i can help you”

soobin watched you from the corner of his eye, biting his tongue to prevent any words from slipping out. you had stayed behind to help the members out before, it would be weird if he only started commenting on the matter when it was kai you were going to stay with.

“we’ll leave you to it then” beomgyu swung his arms around soobin’s and taehyun’s shoulders, leading them towards the door before you could change your mind.

“yeonjun always does this” kai huffed, picking up the acoustic guitar from the floor “i love him but- for once, i wish he’d keep his word- or at least not cancel on me last minute” the more his spoke, the more reckless his movements became.

“careful with that- no matter how cheerful beomgyu might be most of the time, i don’t think he’d be too happy to see his guitar destroyed by you”

“sorry” he said bashfully, resting his body against the wall with a sigh “i guess i’m just fed up with everything”

as you placed a hand over kai’s cheek, his eyelids fluttered shut, comfort already washing over him.

“would a kiss make you feel better…?”

kai nodded eagerly “i might need more than just one kiss though” he whispered, bringing his hand to the back of your neck to pull you back closer.

his kisses were playful at first, with smiles and chuckles interrupting every once in a while. then, when he switched positions, bringing you to be the one trapped against the wall, he began alternating between pecking your lips and lightly biting them, chaste touches soon turning into something more…heated. hands brushing over each other’s bodies in a frenzy, swollen red lips caught in an endless, desperate chase, like you had never had a taste of something sweeter.

what had gotten into you both? doing something this risky in such an “honourable” place. it was the lousy heap of all your lies and yet the most enthralling point of them all.

too bad that adrenaline rushes don’t last forever though.

you felt kai’s heart thump against your chest as you cupped his jawline to bring him back for more, but your next kiss never came to fruition.

“am i interrupting something?” the person standing at the door’s threshold cleared their throat to grab your attention.

you felt your blood turn cold upon hearing the sound. having a hunch about the sight ready to greet you, you turned your head at an awfully slow pace.

“care to give me an explanation?” soobin stood with his arms crossed, the expression on his face indecipherable.

in a single day, all of the rules you swore you’d follow like a saint, for the sake of your relationship, had been broken.

kai was dismissed from the room by soobin without being given a chance to speak. it was your words he wanted to hear first and foremost, it was you who left him the most perplexed ever since he took a furtive look at your phone screen this morning, or since he saw what you were up to in the library.

you were silent, rubbing your hands with your head hanging low. lies can’t last forever, you knew that, but you wished the right to make that dreadful reveal was in your hands to hold.

your brother cleared his throat, awkwardly shifting his position in the plastic chair he sat down on. when he abandoned the boys earlier because he “forgot something” in the practice room, he didn’t have a concrete plan in mind.

“how long?”

“what?” you murmured.

soobin repeated himself “for how long has this been going on? this…thing between you and kai?”

your throat went dry- your first instinct was to spit out another lie. upon better thought though, you realised it was have been ridiculous to even try and deny anything, given the fact that you were caught mid-act. the only actual option left for you was the raw, honest truth:

“…a year” you said reluctantly. soobin only nodded his head.

the silence soon felt direful, and neither of you could tolerate it. soobin turned his head up to look into your eyes, he got the answers he was looking for, now it was his turn to be sincere with you.

“y/n, i’m not the one who chooses who you’re gonna love- and as much as it bothers me that, out of all the people, it’s my best friend who you fell for- i can’t tell you to stop seeing kai”

his words turned your mind in even more of jumble than before. that was it? no screaming? no need to pull out the classic “but i love him“? it was a rare occurrence for the two of you to settle things so easily, it felt like you were suddenly picked up and placed in an alternate universe.

“so, what i’m getting is…you’re approving of our relationship?” you asked, feeling the need to have a definite confirmation of his feelings; none of the scenarios you had imagined before where you revealed your relationship matched the result of this one.

soobin hummed “as long as you don’t hoard him on the weekends- he might be your boyfriend now, but he was my friend first. i’ll have him on saturdays and you can have him on sundays, deal?”

you smiled, shaking his stretched out hand “deal”

“shouldn’t kai have a say in this too though?”

“something tells me he’s already agreed to it” soobin laughed, pointing at a “totally-not-eavesdropping-kai”, the half-open door revealing his pink cheeks along with both of his thumbs up.

taglist: @huekalover3000

[enehana]

can you write about Leo crushing on fem reader who is daughter of Khione and at the time they both don't know who the reader godly parent was but she is shown to have ice powers and can change the temperature around the environment when she gets anxious, scared or sad and over time they grew close and started dating that is when Leo put two and two together that the reader is Khione's daughter

Of course! Hope you like it. I absolutely did not proof read anything.

Leo Valdez x Daughter of Khione

You and Leo Valdez certainly weren't alike. You were a tall, sexy, badass with an affinity for combat. There wasn't too many good stories about you, especially due to you never being claimed despite Percy forcing the gods to pay their child support and claim their kids. To newer campers, you were standoffish and scary. Yet, when Leo Valdez arrived with camp along with Piper and Jason, he was absolutely taken with you.

You were confused. He had shown to be a carefree, silly guy. Yet he always wanted to talk to a girl that wasn't often liked at first glance. He was claimed quickly, as many demigods are nowadays. A son of Hephaestus. Not exactly the type of kid that would want to talk to you. A son of the god of the forge and fire constantly trying to make friends with a orphan girl with ice powers and anxiety-induced snowstorms. Quite the pair.

"Hey, Elsa, don't you wanna come watch me at work? I've got a new flamethrower I'm working on that I think you'll find pretty hot."

"It's a flamethrower. I certainly hope it can get hot enough to throw fire. And my name isn't Elsa."

"Whatever you say, hermosa."

"That isn't my name either."

He'd never leave you alone. Sometimes it was comforting. Not many people thought about you like that. Annabeth was too preoccupied with Percy being missing to think about anyone but him. Thalia was gone with the huntresses. Luke, Silena, and many of your other friends died a year prior in the battle of Manhattan. And Nico never stuck around at camp. So you were on your own most of the time. It was nice to have someone who thought of you enough to come bother you everyday. Though sometimes you just needed to be alone.

"What are you doing here all alone, Hermosa? Capture the flag is about to start, you love playing."

"Not a good time, Leo."

"I can't exactly postpone the game, unless you want me to blow up the entire forest."

"I don't care about the game."

"You're making it awfully chilly in here, y'know."

"Then leave."

"Damn, okay. If that's what you want, your wish is my command, your highness."

Then he went on a quest. And you were left at camp. No more crazy fire boy to annoy you. Yet, you thought of him more than you expected to. You kept telling yourself he wasn't thinking of you. He was on a quest, there were a million more important things than the girl he decided to borderline harass everyday. Surely he was more focused on staying alive, right?

Leo hadn't been at camp nearly as long as you had. He did get somewhat of a grip on the whole dying before reaching adulthood thing, but he was used to that. He didn't see quests in the same light you did.

Then when they got back from the quest, and the first thing he did was run up to you, excited to tell you about it. Excited to see you. All the thoughts left your brain. He was an absolute idiot.

"Oh my gods, there's literally so much to tell you."

"You're supposed to debrief-"

"Nah, Jason's got it. Let me tell you about this batshit insane lady I killed."

Unbeknownst to both of you, that batshit insane lady he 'killed' was your mother.

Slowly, you started to laugh at his jokes. You'd sit with him while he built the Argo II in bunker nine. You'd bring him snacks and made sure he slept at least enough to stay alive. It was peaceful, for a short while.

Then they had to go on another quest. Finally retrieving Percy. Stopping Gaea. Potentially saving Nico.

You had to stay at camp. Again. Not your lucky day.

Leo would iris message you almost every day. You weren't used to that. The people you talked to were always at camp, nearby. Then all of a sudden, all of your friends are off saving the world without you. At least Leo cared enough to fill you in on what was going on.

But the seven disagreed on whether or not to save Nico. And that hurt the most. You knew Nico better than most people at camp. You were outcasted because somehow you didn't have a godly parent. And he was the son of Hades. Of course misfits tend to drift towards each other.

You wanted to save Nico more than anything. So you packed your shit and left camp. You stopped accepting iris messages. No one knew where you went.

So when you ran into the seven down at Nico's prison, everyone was shocked. You were convinced they wouldn't come to rescue him. They all thought you dropped off the face of the Earth.

You all got Nico and got the hell out of there. Then you were stuck on the Argo II indefinitely.

Leo built you your own room, right next to his. Not that he ever slept there anyways. You two would stay up all night, keeping him company when he couldn't sleep.

And of course, there had to be encounters with monsters. You really came in handy there. You could just freeze them, and Percy or Jason would shatter them with their swords, sending them straight back to Tartarus. Leo didn't look at you the same way after that.

You two were still best friends, but he always acted like he knew something he didn't want to tell you, especially when you used your powers. And no matter how much pushing you did, he wouldn't tell you.

The anxiety this caused you was immense. Snowstorms would rage outside the ship every time he insisted nothing was off. Hail would knock holes in the ship, which Leo would complain about every time. The ocean underneath you almost froze over. That's when he confronted you.

"Okay, we all know you're doing this. What in Tartarus is this about?"

"Oh my gods, Leo. It's nothing." You used the phrase exactly like he did. Same tone and pausing as him. Every little detail exact. He didn't get the hint.

"Clearly not. I don't know if I should be concerned for you or worried that you're trying to kill us all."

"I am not trying to kill you!"

He took you into his arms, his heat and your cold causing steam to rise from your bodies.

"If you're not trying to kill us, you must be killing yourself. We can't have that."

His heat thawed right through you. The storm outside calmed and the ship passed through the silky water gracefully.

And one night, while you two were up in the engine room way past curfew, he turned to you.

"Y'know, you're actually not as bad as everyone tried to tell me you were."

"Oh. Yeah. The whole unclaimed thing doesn't come across as lightly as it used to, huh?"

"I guess. And for the record, I'd totally claim you. Whoever your godly parent is should be proud to have you as their kid."

"Oh wow, thanks."

"Yeah, sure."

Then he smiled at you with all the warmth in the world. Your entire spirit was set ablaze. You unconsciously leaned towards him, your shoulder brushing against his. The whole world seems to stop spinning. The sound of your heartbeat drowns out the crashing waves and heavy machinery all around you. You and Leo didn't leave the engine room until morning.

Things were different between you two ever since. He'd bring you flowers that were often burnt in his nervousness and he'd allow you to take a break in his room whenever you needed it. And you started calling yourself his girl.

Eventually, he caught on to that.

"What, am I your boyfriend now?"

"Yes, you are."

"Damn, anything to make you happy, hermosa."

And he was yours. No more watching him flirt with every woman that comes his way. Much more being flirted with. Every chance you got, you were by his side. You also noticed he observed you more often. Especially when you used your powers.

"What in Hades has possessed you to look at me like that?" You questioned, having just turned an empusa into an ice sculpture.

"You just- oh shit."

"Valdez?"

"You're an awful lot like Khione. Y'know, the hair, the attitude, the ice powers."

"Oh. Oh shit."

"Could she be...?"

"I guess. If she tried to kill you she's also probably the type of bitch to not claim her kids like she's supposed to."

"What the hell was your dad thinking?"

"The same thing you were thinking when you first met her."

And you and Leo laughed. It wasn't too different. Sure, your mom tried to kill him, but that can't stop Leo Valdez from being yours. Nothing could. Even when he was willing to die to fulfill the prophecy and kill Gaia. The physician's cure brought him back to you. Everything always turned him back to his new home. And the anxiety induced snowstorms almost completely stopped with him by your side.

[posttexasstressdisorder]

The GOP’s 43-year tax-cuts-for-billionaires-while-we-ignore-the-needs-of-the-country grift has an analogy in condos and homes across America that might help voters understand how it works and how they’ve gotten away with it.

Fully 84 percent of all homes and apartments built and sold in 2022 came with a homeowner’s association (HOA), and an estimated 27 percent of all homeowners nationwide currently live in a property controlled by an HOA.

And many are very unhappy about the experience.

According to a survey by Rocket Mortgage, only 47 percent of HOA residents think their HOA has made their community better, only two-thirds (64%) believe their HOA “honestly handles its finances,” and one in ten people nationwide who have an HOA cite the HOA itself as their main reason for moving.

How and why is this?

Louise and I have lived in five communities with HOAs in two different states. Three (including where we now live) were well managed, kept up the community, and set aside money from the dues every month for the inevitable future maintenance. I was on the board of one of them. The other two ran, essentially, a shell game or reverse Ponzi scheme, which led us to eventually quit those communities and move.

READ: Deep-red 'Republican stronghold' thought to be 'easy win for Trump' is now a swing state

I remember attending a board meeting in one of those “shell game” HOA communities we’d lived in. There were multiple common-area maintenance issues needing attention, but a group who called themselves “low-tax conservatives” had run the board for over a twenty years.

There was almost nothing in reserves, so maintenance had been continuously postponed until things hit a crisis level. Then they’d hit us all with a series of “special one-time assessments” ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars to pay for the upkeep. They refused to raise the monthly HOA fee, referring to it as a tax, because, they said, they were “low-tax conservatives”; in fact, they were just cheapskates.

That HOA board had been, in the past and the present, stealing from future homeowners.

They did it so they could enjoy the community during the first 30 or so years — when maintenance costs were minimal — without setting aside money for the future, when things would rot or wear out and need replacement or upgrade.

For the first three decades, they were able to coast with $200/month in dues and no assessments; by the time we arrived when the units were pushing 35 years old, though, the assessments were hitting $3000 to $9000 a year, and, when the buildings’ roofs need repair (soon) it’ll be twice that amount or more.

Fortunately, once we saw the handwriting on that particular wall we were able to sell our condo and move to a well-run community. Americans, though, don’t have that option: Republicans have been running this same shell game or reverse Ponzi scheme against all of us (except the very rich) across the entire country ever since Reagan successfully pitched trickle-down economics to the nation in 1981.

If you’ve ever lived in one of these shell game HOA’s, you now perfectly understand Reaganomics and why it seems that America has deteriorated so badly over the past 40 years.

You could call it the disaster of pothole economics: all across America, roads, bridges, water systems, schools, and other vital public infrastructure have been underfunded and neglected ever since Reagan popularized the idea of “austerity” among Republicans.

In order to pay for the second most massive tax cut for the morbidly rich in history (Reagan cut the top tax bracket from 74% down to 25%), his administration cut spending on education, housing, roads and bridges, and pretty much every other aspect of America’s infrastructure. George W. Bush did the same thing, and Donald Trump tripled down on the scheme.

The result was a $51 trillion transfer of wealth — over a mere forty-three years — from the homes, retirement accounts, and savings of average working families into the money bins of the extremely wealthy. Thirty-four trillion of that transfer show up as our national debt, which was a mere $800 billion ($0.8 trillion) when Reagan first came into office and started this scam.

President Joe Biden and his Vice President, Kamala Harris, ran the first administration of either party to significantly repudiate Reagan’s neoliberalism by injecting trillions into rebuilding our nation (over 35,000 projects) while raising taxes on rich people and corporations to pay for it.

The result was immediately visible, just like in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s: we now have the best economy on planet Earth with unemployment lower than any time since the 1960s (and lower than any time in history for women, Blacks, and Hispanics). Inflation has been at or below 0% for the past two months and is annually running around 3% (Reagan never got inflation below 4.1% in his entire 8 years); all across America we’re putting our rural areas, towns, and cities back together.

For the past forty years, Republicans and their administrations have focused almost entirely on taking cash away from working class people and handing it off to the billionaires who own and finance their party. At the top of the list of ways they did this was a series of five tax cuts for the morbidly rich and big corporations adding up to over $30 trillion since 1981.

But they’ve also been cutting spending to compensate for their tax breaks for the billionaire class: They blocked extending the child tax credit this year, throwing millions of American children back into poverty. They’ve fought lifting the cap on Social Security taxes so people making over $168,600 will begin paying on all of their income (millionaires and billionaires currently pay only a tiny fraction of the percentage to support Social Security that the rest of us do).

Fully 100% of congressional Republicans voted against Biden’s Build Back Better program that’s now putting America back together and his American Rescue Plan that lifted millions out of poverty and put millions more back to work. They successfully blocked the Paycheck Fairness Act that would have penalized employers for wage discrimination based on gender; they’ve refused to expand Medicaid in almost a dozen Red states; they even filibustered an attempt to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10.

For the past forty-plus years, Republicans — just like these dysfunctional HOAs — have been stealing from America’s future; our infrastructure deficit alone is several trillion dollars, meaning Americans will be paying more in taxes to make up for all those decades of neglect.

Democrats want those tax increases to hit people earning over $400,000 a year; Republican tax proposals, on the other hand, mostly focus on increasing income taxes and fees on working class people while continuing or even expanding tax breaks for the very wealthy.

One of the “low tax” HOAs we used to live in, instead of raising their monthly fee or instituting an assessment, recently negotiated a million-dollar-plus 20-year loan with people’s properties as the collateral to fund painting and repairing serious rot on the buildings.

This should have been paid for with an increase in HOA fees twenty years ago, anticipating the future maintenance and upkeep needs.

But instead they kept the fee low, never built up a reserve, and are now borrowing from the bank. In other words, they’re continuing the all-too-common HOA board scam of requiring future generations to pay for current repairs, just like the GOP budget proposals we’ll see when they return from summer vacation in September will require future generations to pay for their past tax cuts.

It’s the equivalent of Reagan, Bush, and Trump jacking up the national debt to keep things glued together, forcing future generations to pay it off when the bill comes due, while their wealthy corporate funders rob us blind.

Homeowners across America are waking up to these toxic HOA boards, as social media sites for HOA members are forming and local homeowner uprisings are happening against boards, either replacing the board members or, in some cases, even suing them. Some states are even starting to require they build up reserves for future maintenance.

Hopefully, Americans will realize how successfully Republicans have inflicted this very same scam on voters and working class people over the past forty-plus years and vote the bums out this fall.

ALSO READ: Mike Johnson's now-deleted Trump social media post sparks controversy

[youmakemyhearthowl]

The first time Steve and Eddie actually get to hang out alone after all things Upside Down have been handled, Eddie leaves feeling justified in the fact that to him Steve Harrington is still a stuck up snob. It isn’t until after he runs his dilemma past Uncle Wayne that it really starts to set in that maybe, maybe Eddie was being the stuck up snob and not Steve.

“He’s got a point Ed’s.” He says it in that soft tone he only uses when he knows he’s saying something that might upset Eddie.

“What? Wayne you’re supposed to be on my side here.” Eddie’s arms fly out as he speaks, shooting a glare at his Uncle.

“Eddie, you of all people know how hard it can be to find your place, especially as a freshman, and basketball is important to Lucas. It was kinda a dick move the way you responded to them boys asking if they could postpone your game for one night.” Eddie let out a groan at his words, his face falling onto the table with a loud thud.

“We don’t postpone Hellfire Uncle Wayne. It’s literally never happened in the years I’ve run it, I wasn’t about to do it for a stupid fucking basketball game.” Wayne grunts.

“And that’s where your problem lies Eddie. It wasn’t some “stupid game” not for Lucas. It was important, and you brushed him aside and punished him for having an interest you don’t agree with. Which is exactly what everyone else was doing to you about your dragons game.” Eddie’s head snapped up his eyes landing on Wayne, wide and suddenly a little glassy. Because Wayne had a point. He had a really important point that Eddie hadn’t even stopped to really consider before. Which, fuck it was the exact point Steve had been trying to make, but Steve had a hard time with words and talking about feelings, he’d fumbled over them and stoped and started his explanation so many times that Eddie had just gotten mad and annoyed and didn’t really even try to listen.

And Eddie had been mean to Steve. Telling him to stop stuttering over it and to just “Spit it out Harrington, Jesus it’s not like it should be hard for you to be an asshole about my hobbies.”

Fuck Eddie was a dick. He’d been a dick to Lucas and Dustin and Mike too when they’d just wanted one night to support their best friend and he threatened to just kick them out of the club if they bailed. He’d acted just like the people he detested at school, the bullies and the jocks.

He had some apology’s to make.

Standing abruptly Eddie squeezed Wayne in a quick embrace whispering his thanks as he scrambled out the door of the trailer to his van.

His first stop needed to be the kids, because honestly, he wasn’t even sure where to start with his apology to Steve.

Because Eddie had been hanging out with Steve for weeks now in the group. Him, Robin, Steve, Nance and Jonathan as well as Argyle, hung out almost everyday. And Eddie knew Steve. Knew how fiercely he loved his friends and those kids, and how he tended to not talk a lot in big group settings because he always struggled to find the right words to articulate what he wanted to say. Needed extra time to sit on them to get them out the right way, and would shut down as soon as someone talked over him because he was taking too long.

Fuck.

The first time they’d finally gotten to hang out alone, Eddie had been so excited to really pick Steve’s brain, let him talk and give him the space to find the words or ask questions he needed to. And Steve and him had been having a great time until Steve had brought up the championship game. Stumbling and trying to tell Eddie that Lucas had felt isolated from the group now and like sometimes he didn’t fit with them anymore because Eddie had been a little mean to him because he was a basketball player too. And Steve hadn’t even been mean to Eddie about it either. Now that he thought about the few sentences Steve had been able to tumble through. Throwing in ‘I know you love that game and it’s important to you and the kids look up to you so much man, they love you.” And Eddie has just been an absolute monster back because he just assumed Steve was still King Steve and had been waiting and biding his time to come at Eddie. Fuck.

What was he even supposed to say to Steve now? He’d tried so hard to always make sure Steve felt he could still speak , make him feel safe and comfortable around Eddie and never stupid, because Eddie watched and paid attention to Steve way too much (it’s not a crush shut up) and then he’d just gone and ripped that rug out from under the poor guy, for standing up for his kids. Their kids.

“Eddie? What are you doing here man?” Lucas’s voice pulled Eddie out of his head as he parked the van in front of the Sinclair house, where Lucas, El and Dustin were apparently attempting to learn how to skateboard from Max.

“Hey uh, can we talk for a second man?” Eddie hadn’t felt this nervous since DMing his first campaign. Lucas nodded, coming over to stand next to Eddie who’d gotten out of the van and was leaning against the side now, arms crossed over his chest.

“Listen, I wanted to apologize. For how I acted in Hellfire, about you being on the basketball team.” He watches Lucas’s face closely, a look of surprise crossing the younger boy's face before he composes it.

“It’s cool Eddie, I mean I get it.”

“Nah man, listen. I was a royal dick to you. You were just trying to find your footing in high school and I didn’t make it any easier for you and that wasn’t cool of me. You’re always gonna be one of my lost sheep, and a member of Hellfire, and you’re allowed to have more than one interest . I shouldn’t have let my own insecurities and biases let me treat you like that. And I’m really sorry man.” He watched a myriad of emotions cross Lucas’s face before he settled on a small but happy smile.

“Well thank you Eddie. That really means a lot to me man. Hellfire’s really important to me. You are too. So thank you.” His smile grows as he speaks, before giving Eddie a quick hug and then running back off to join the others in their lessons. A sigh of relief makes Eddie’s whole body Sag.

One down, Steve to go.

Part Two here

[inawickedlittletown]

Glasses (BuckTommy one-shot)

Summary: Buck finds out Tommy wears reading glasses...as inspired by Lou wearing a different pair of glasses in every cameo.

Read on Ao3

-

“You wear glasses,” Buck said, a bit of awe in his voice as he took in Tommy. 

Tommy, who was leaning against the door he’d just opened in just a t-shirt and jeans, no shoes, hair a little messy, and with glasses on, looked hot. Buck wasn’t prepared, it was like in a video game when you reached a new level and your character got more accessories. Buck had reached a different place with Tommy and he was…he was definitely a fan. 

“Hi, Evan,” Tommy said. 

Buck just smiled, letting his voice wash over him…letting his name said by Tommy wash over him. Tommy lifted his arms and Buck wrapped his own around him in a hug. He smelled so good. Clean, mostly like his detergent, and something that was just Tommy. Buck could live in that smell forever, but Tommy let him go and closed the door behind them. 

“How was your shift?” Tommy asked. 

“Nothing crazy. Average stuff. Car accident…kid that got stuck on a roof.”

“There’s always a kid on a roof,” Tommy said with a grin. 

“You’re not wrong,” Buck said. 

Tommy’s house was nice, but small. It was a one bedroom cottage style house with an attached garage that was almost as big as the rest of the house. It was cozy, in a way, and the first time Buck entered it, he’d immediately known that it felt like Tommy. All the parts of him. The cozy living room with the big sofa that was perfect for cuddling on and the kitchen that was just a side of too clean because Tommy didn’t really use it too often. Then, the two car garage where he did indeed have a lift and toolboxes full of tools and also a small home gym that Buck had been left more than a little impressed by the first time he saw it. 

Buck was led right to the living room. Their movie night had been postponed twice already once due to work and once because Eddie asked Buck to keep Christopher overnight. They were watching Love, Actually a movie that Buck had never watched but that Tommy said was his favorite. Buck was excited, mostly because it meant learning more about Tommy. 

In the month that they’d been dating, Buck had never felt so settled and happy. They were taking it slow which was definitely new for him, he wasn’t used to not going hot and heavy from the get go. The furthest they had gone was kissing. Buck loved kissing, every aspect of it. He loved kissing Tommy…the way that it was intimate and the way that Tommy was so reactive and that he took control and left Buck senseless. He’d never kissed so much without it leading elsewhere, but it was okay. It was more than okay. 

Tommy picked up a book he’d left page down on the couch, tucking a bookmark to mark his page before he set it down on the coffee table and atop it, he put his glasses. 

Buck made a whining noise and Tommy’s gaze fell on him and his heated cheeks, eyebrow raised. 

“Evan?”

“Uh. I just…why are you taking them off?” 

Tommy inched closer to him. “You like my glasses?”

Buck could only nod. 

“They’re readers,” Tommy said and he reached Buck. “Can’t wear them to watch a movie.” 

Buck was distracted by how close he was, how he wasn’t even touching Buck, but he had such an effect on him glasses or not. 

“They, uh, they look good on you.”

“Yeah?” Tommy asked. 

“Yes,” Buck said, breathless. “Like a sexy librarian, like you could teach me a thing or two.” 

Tommy’s chuckle, his breath, brushed across Buck’s skin. “I can teach you more than a thing or two, Evan.” 

Why was this man this smooth…this confident…this hot and sexy and so many other things.

Buck reached for him first, hands on his jaw, brushing on the stubble for a second before they both leaned in, their lips coming together and Tommy immediately pulling Buck even closer as the kiss deepened, their tongues meeting in what was becoming a familiar dance, one that still affected all of Buck. 

He could hardly think for the feel of Tommy’s hands on his waist and back, at how he grabbed at Buck’s shirt, pulling it up so that eventually his hands were on bare skin. Buck moaned into the kiss, pulling back when he needed air, but Tommy dragged kisses down his chin and his jaw, sucking at his skin and leaving Buck almost breathless. And then, his tongue was moving on his neck before his lips trailed kisses down and then up the otherside, stopping at his ear.

“Glasses, huh,” Tommy said. 

Buck didn’t know what kind of noise came out of him, he just knew that Tommy pecked his lips and his hands left Buck’s bare skin and that he missed him even though there were merely inches between them. 

“I’ll have to model my collection to you,” Tommy said, almost offhand.

“Your collection?” Buck said, mind finally working with his mouth and tongue to form words. 

Tommy chuckled. “I, uh, lose them all over. Find them all over too.”

Why did Buck find that so incredibly hot. Tommy, smirked knowingly and then he turned on his heel. 

“You want popcorn?” 

Buck could do nothing but follow. He found Tommy reaching into a cupboard and when he turned, another pair of glasses were on his face. The style was different, the frames dark and thicker and the shape rectangular but tapering down on the corners. They still looked good on him and he knew what he was doing going by his smirk. 

Buck crossed the room, backed Tommy into the counter, hands on his hips holding him in place as if Tommy would dare to get away. 

“You are a menace,” Buck said. 

“A menace that sometimes wears glasses that drive my boyfriend crazy,” Tommy said. 

“Joke’s on me, there’s little that wouldn’t drive me crazy about you,” Buck said and then they were kissing again. 

Buck did discover, then, that glasses could get in the way of a vigorous making out session, but that they were easily pushed up to the top of Tommy’s head and that…that made him look hot too.

[treason-and-plot]

Wednesday 10.37 am

Roy’s work day usually begins with him phoning or video-calling as many of his clients as his schedule allows; today looks like being a good day as not a single one of his flock is facing any new lawsuits, nor has anybody been cancelled on social media in the past twenty-four hours. The best news of all is that his star basketball player Otiene Henare’s groin injury is finally on the mend. Otiene sustained the injury three weeks ago in a game against the Twinbrook Tigers and has been out of action ever since, but his mother Carleen tells Roy in a voice emotional with relief that Otiene’s medical team has given him the all-clear to play this Saturday. Roy feels a little bit emotional too; Otiene is not only his mother’s ticket to a cushy retirement but probably twenty other people’s meal tickets too, himself included. He’s just finished chatting with Harrison Steiner when Celine knocks on his door. She waltzes into the room without waiting for him to answer, and announces that his lunchtime meeting with his boss Gus and several of the firm’s lawyers and accountants has been postponed because Gus woke up this morning with a bad attack of gout. 

"Booyah!" whoops Roy, punching the air.

"Your concern for Gus’ condition is so touching,” says Celine.

“Hopefully the old fart will be off for the rest of the week,” says Roy. “Hey, what are you doing for lunch? Do you want to check out that new restaurant down by the waterfront? Alec reckons their smoked trout is life-changing.“

“Thank you very much for the offer, but I’m having lunch with my boyfriend today,” says Celine. A becoming pink tinge blossoms across her neck and cleavage.

“Celine! You sly minx! You didn’t tell me you have a boyfriend!” says Roy.

“You never asked,” says Celine. “Anyway, I’m telling you now.”

“What’s his name?” says Roy. “What does he do? How long have you been seeing him? Have you blown him yet?”

“Oh dear, I think I can hear my phone ringing,” says Celine. “Bye, Roy!"

After she’s sashayed from the room Roy ponders his contacts list for a few moments, then dials Joël‘s number.

“Hey, Mahogany!” he says when Joël answers on the fifth ring. “Are you allowed out of the house to come to lunch today? Or do you need a permission slip from Neets?”

[taranida]

AWAN: the sad story of the best boy's life and death

We need to talk about AWAN. It baffles me that part of the community thinks that AWAN’s story somehow is not canon anymore. Well, it is. It is a failed attempt of escaping the Dark Place, yes, Alice and Alan might’ve seen each other only in her dream, but everything depicted there happened to the point we have a physical evidence for it.

So, let’s take a look at it and speculate what happened before, after and during. Because the story in AWAN is pretty straight forward, but many things are quite peculiar if taken together with other games. I will also explore the concept of the story and how it changes reality and touch up on the theory that I wanted to write, but postponed in the light of the Poison Pill Entertainment dropping the Night Springs DLC.

Alright, the most important part I want to talk about: Alan’s, let’s say, ascension level. Because, oh boy, AWAN’s Alan is the most confident, powerful and knowledgeable version of him we ever saw. The only other version that might fight for this place is Alan-on-the-phone (since as of now we have no idea from what point in the story the call was made). If we talking strictly about Alan as Alan, not Alan as Tom Seine — Alan Seine or Tom “665” Wake is a discussion for another time; I’m still brainstorming some parts of this mystery, although I will talk about him as well in the end.

We have several manuscripts in the game that point out that Alan mastered the Dark Place to a degree he never showed before or after. He also remembers and knows when he will forget:

He can peek into the real world, he can and tries to reach out, knowing what he’s doing, not unwillingly haunting Alice or forgetting that he had sent messages to Rose:

He also knows what the Dark Place is and how to survive there, obviously remembering his experience in the DLCs for the first game:

And what one needs to thrive in the Dark Place; how to shape his own fate. Most importantly, he knows what not to do. At least at this point (we all know it went straight into the window in AWII):

One of the most important parts here, Alan doesn’t need anyone to help him fight or sprinkle pages around (or deliver the OoPs), he does everything by himself and he realises, that he’s in control, he’s the creator:

In fact, Alan in AWAN is so powerful, he can and does get out of the Dark Place into an overlap, effectively creating the playground for himself and trapping Mr. Scratch within it:

Yes, yes, it’s written here as if Mr. Scratch set the trap, but let’s not forget when and by whom those manuscript pages were written. In the final loop we even have an in-game confirmation, that now loops are working in Alan’s favour and this is his way to make the story work: the hero must struggle. The whole story of AWAN was finished before Alan set foot into the overlap, he is the creator; all the struggles and set-backs of his are of his own doing. Because, as we well know by now, for Alan the scale must always balance, the story must be believable, everything must be perfect. And the thing is… it’s not perfect for the reality. There is no way the satellite will stay intact after re-entering the atmosphere. Surely not in the condition we see in the game; but Alan probably never bothered to learn about space — therefore this works. The whole story works because as a piece of fiction it is believable for its creator, Alan himself. He would have never believed that he will just jump out of the Dark Place and destroy Mr. Scratch in one flashy shot from his trusty revolver. As he himself puts it in one of the Writer in the Cabin TVs:

“I’ll be bound by the events of the story just as much as anyone else who’s been woven into it. The story must stay true for this to work. There have to be victims along the way, near escapes, cliffhangers. In a horror story it can’t be certain that the hero will succeed or even survive. He almost has to die.”

And he almost does. Or not almost? I strongly believe that in the end of each loop Alan is supposed to die before he’s hurled back in time: just like in the second game. Whenever the outcome is not in Alan’s favour he just loops, it’s not the first nor the last time he will abuse loops to his advantage. And, really, Mr. Scratch does what, according to the manuscript? Just sends Alan back? Why? How is it beneficial in any way? How is this twisted, cruel and unhinged serial killer so nice to just “send Alan back to the beginning of the maze”? He’s not Scratch from the second game, who has some obsessive feelings towards Alan, he’s a true monster, a sadist, one if the darkest beings, basking in violence; he even states his goal and desires pretty clearly: he wants Alan dead and to take his place. So why would he not kill Alan?

Because it was written. It’s not different drafts of the same story we’re going through in AWAN, like we do in AWII’s Initiation, it’s one complete story titled “Return” and it was finished before Alan woke up in Night Springs, every loop was accounted for, everything that happens is set in stone by the power of art and the Dark Place, we even have a manuscript, that confirms it. Before AWAN, while he was writing this story, Alan is not lost or confused, he’s not pushed around by beings in the Dark Place as it happens in the first and second games, he’s prepared and knows exactly what he’s doing with this Return. He does fail to, well, return, but he doesn’t fail in destroying the threat to him, Alice and Barry (literally all the friends Alan has) — something that matters more than escaping. He even manages to save everyone involved in his journey: Emma in the third loop finally survives till Alan leaves the Rest Stop and, as the dialog with Dr. Meadows explains, there is no more story after Alan is gone:

“You know, I just realized that I don’t have any memory of what happens after you leave. What does that mean?” “I don’t think it means anything. If everything goes well, you just keep going. I don’t show up here like this again. No more bad guys. Things go back to normal.”

That’s why Alan can “secure” Emma’s lights and be on his merry way: there will be no one to hurt her after he left. Bad things happen there only because of the story, even the bad things that happened before Alan got into the overlap happened only because of the story.

So, what happened outside the story? What was the truth Alan borrowed and not art becoming truth?

Well, let us talk about Mr. Scratch. I did mention part of what I want to discuss in my previous theory, but I will expand on everything here. Not gonna lie, I was so excited to finally talk about him and point some things out, that as I saw in the community were twisted to fit the narrative of Seine=Scratch, but the Night Springs DLC already confirmed that Tom “665” Seine is, in fact, Alan. I will put a warning nonetheless: I do not believe 665 and Mr. Scratch are the same being, but they might have the same role in the story, I will address some things that make them similar, but this is an in depth look at Mr. Scratch and not at 665. And keep in mind that all those things are manifesting in them, to my belief, for the exact same reason. For all those out there who want to believe that Mr. Scratch is alive, well and will be making a return (no pun intended), I’m with you; I love this twisted bastard, he’s my favourite antagonist, maybe in all the games I had a pleasure to know, he’s goofy and evil, and twisted, and cruel, and charming, and just the right amount of funny and scary, but I don’t believe that 665 is him; and I, sadly, fully believe that Mr. Scratch is completely unalive. If my assumptions will be disproven at some point — so be it, this is, after all, just a theory and theories can be wrong.

With this said, let’s start from the beginning. The beginning of Mr. Scratch, not the beginning of AWAN. Another thing that baffles me is how some people for some unclear for me reason believe that the Bright Presence created him. He didn’t. Why would he? The Bright Presence is quite indifferent to, well, everything, really. He’s also from a different side of the eternal conflict between light and dark, which makes it kinda ridiculous for him to create dark beings or even summon them. As far as we know he’d rather kill Mr. Scratch on the spot than grant him a way out of the Dark Place. So why did Mr. Scratch make an appearance in the first game? And why did the Bright Presence react to him so nonchalantly? For the latter, I would assume, the Bright Presence being a prick — is a reason good enough. Or, putting it properly, not caring about the world or anything, really, enough to act: he’s no human and what little humanity Thomas Zane’s body granted him seems to be tied to Barbara only; he’s not a being we can understand as he cannot really understand us. His whole involvement in Alan’s plight is unwilling, dictated by the story and the story had nothing about the “evil double”.

Why is Mr. Scratch there then? The argument might be made that this is just how the cookie crumbles. In Emil Hartman’s notes from Control’s AWE we learn this bit:

“But, now, like Tom before him, Wake has disappeared into Cauldron Lake. And this is where my work turns... hypothetical. Since he was lost to the Lake, Thomas Zane has been observed by various townspeople. This indicates to me that the individuals within the Lake are not entirely "gone". I anticipate Wake will similarly return one day.”

Could Thomas have his own Mr. Scratch? Is it the way the Dark Place claims artists, spitting out their double to somehow maintain balance? We have few artists who went into the lake, one way or another, but only two of them are known to make an appearance in the real world while being in the Dark Place: Thomas and Alan. Others — Alice, Tor and Odin (Balder?) — as of now don’t have a double or we are not aware of them. Might be because, like with Mr. Scratch, their doubles need more time to manifest properly; as Mr. Scratch himself told us, it takes time:

“At first, I was just an idea. But they kept telling all these stories about you. You already had that rep, and then you disappeared mysteriously… And then… stories about bad, crazy Alan Wake came true. And here I am! That’s the best part, isn’t it, when that happens? You can always count on Cauldron Lake.”

Tor and Odin went into the lake at the very end of AWII, they surely had no time to have their reputation acquire flesh; Alice… pinpointing when exactly Alice made her leap of faith is quite hard. It probably happened somewhere between May and September of 2023, judging by the dates on this e-mail:

In May Barry is yet to learn about Alice’s “death”: either he got the response from her or somewhere between this e-mail and the moment we see the PC he learnt about her “death”. With this “4 months ago” on the e-mail we can calculate, that the PC is stuck in September of 2023, which in and of itself might be the answer, yet I hesitate to take it as a fact; I will return to it. Nonetheless, four months might not be enough for the “idea” to become a full fleshed double, even if we will take the earliest possible date of the plunge, it could be even six months, which still might be not enough. Therefore, we have only Alan and Thomas being blessed with doubles as of now.

There is, however, another way to look at Thomas’ sightings. It might’ve been the Bright Presence itself making an appearance. We know that after the Last Dive both Presences, wearing the skins of Thomas and Barbara, surged up into our world. What happened while they were there we don’t know, but people seeing Thomas might’ve seen the Bright Presence. Yes, it kinda shines like a lamp and wears the diver suit when we see it in the first game, but who is to tell it was always like that? The Dark Presence for sure didn’t look as the old lady at the time, its body was only twenty-five years in 1970. In fact, the Dark Presence was surely looking like Barbara: Cynthia confirms it; Thomas himself was fooled for some time; The Poet and The Muse, too, notes only the darkness in Barbara’s eyes and the change of attire. The Bright Presence might’ve been the “double” people of Bright Falls mistook for Thomas.

This is not how the cookie crumbles then? Let’s run with it, I believe it to be more plausible that there is no exchange between the Dark Place and our world when someone is claimed. The person just goes missing as many Taken did every AWE. So why does Alan have a double? Well, in fact, we don’t really know, but there are few things, pointing that it’s Alan’s own doing.

Allow me to explain. In the second game we see how Alan refuses to let the idea of him having an evil double, who does all the horrendous things, he doesn’t want to take responsibility for, go. He always cries “Scratch”, whatever happens. Even when he shoots Noir-Casey in the alley in the second draft of Initiation, we see a quick flash of Scratch’s jumpscare, as if to say “it was not Alan, it was Scratch!”, when it obviously was Alan — he was in the driver seat firmly enough to hold control, he chose to let Scratch do his dirty work or he did it himself, making an excuse that Scratch took over for a moment. It’s a weak excuse, but this is Alan’s way to cope. We also have Alan’s idea of the balance and consequences: he might’ve not believed that his sacrifice will be enough to save Alice, so he added more just for a good measure — it was not written, as I believe that moment is completely based on dreaming in the Dark Place, but his little treacherous thought of “oh, what if I miscalculated and more must be paid?” could manifest into Mr. Scratch. It further strengthened by Mr. Scratch’s words “at first, I was just an idea”; whose idea he could’ve been if not Alan’s? And there is yet another, for me, the last nail in the coffin: Alan wrote the episode of Night Springs about the Champion of Light and the Herald of Darkness. He might’ve created Mr. Scratch long before the whole Bright Falls ordeal happened. His early works matter: we have AWAN based on his early work, Control based on his early work, the Bright Presence weirdly parallels with the character from Errand Boy story, and something that has nothing at all to do with the Dark Place — Alex Casey, who’s himself not entirely sure if the fiction affected his life or his life affected the fiction. Alan is a strong parautilitarian, after all, his powers might’ve always been connected to his writing (or him being the Master of Many Worlds always was the truth, that needed a vacation in the Dark Place to fully manifest). There is also a chance that he did it retroactively: time is just a point in the story after all and he needed Mr. Scratch for AWAN to happen, even if the attempt to escape was unsuccessful; not like at the time he knew it will turn out this way, and after AWAN, apparently, Alan lost huge chunk of his mastery over the Dark Place and, probably, memory.

I strongly believe, that Alan was the one to summon Mr. Scratch. And everything from here on will be said with this belief (but it doesn’t affect much). Now; we know that Mr. Scratch spent some time as an idea, echo, then he started to taunt Alan, leaving him no other choice than confrontation.

This part, I believe, is the truth: it’s in Mr. Scratch’s character, he loves to toy with his victims, it’s entirely possible that he, indeed, can travel from the Dark Place the our world effortlessly, and he has little understanding of the consequences to his actions or disregards them due to his power: he has an army of Taken by his side and, as he put it:

“I’m a little more resilient that those I’ve Taken.”

And he is. Although we see him flinch at a very strong light hitting him from the window in one of the TV’s, he’s quite comfortable in the room with at least two lamps and holds up pretty well in the light of a huge movie projector (well, while it’s just a light); he can also disappear into thin air, in fact there is no “boss battle” with him, he never gives Alan even a chance to attack. For our average law enforcement, he’s invincible, FBC would be able to contain him, probably, with the cell that Scratch broke in the second game, but Mr. Scratch doesn’t know about FBC. As well as he doesn’t know about the extent of Alan’s powers. Therefore, he couldn’t care less about the feelings of the trapped writer whose face he stole. Or anyone’s feelings for that matter. His whole thing is — he enjoys the sufferings he brings. This manuscript, I believe is the truth as well:

But then the story comes in. Those manuscripts, I believe, is Alan expanding Mr. Scratch to fit him into the role of the Herald of Darkness:

Because what Herald of Darkness Mr. Scratch would make if he wouldn’t be, you know, heralding the darkness. If he was left to his own devices, he would just take over Alan’s life, corrupt it and keep killing other people. Tragic, of course, but not something that fits into the grandiose narrative of the episode of Night Springs where the stakes are much, much higher. For Alan to take the role of the Champion of Light, there must be something light needs a champion for. Basically, Alan makes it about light versus darkness, good versus evil, chaos versus order and raises the stakes for his plan to work. And, as always, the writing makes new truths: now Mr. Scratch is set to bring his pals into our world and if not for Alan, we all would be suffering under their rule of terror. As the narrator says:

“The fate of countless individuals hangs in the balance, threatened by the machinations of the herald of darkness.”

But everything there should be taken with a pinch of salt: Alan Is the most unreliable and most reliable narrator at the same time. Mr. Scratch might’ve been a minion of another being; or he might’ve been a Dark Presence as well as the one that wore Barbara’s face, free to act on his own and seizing the opportunity. Truth here is — we have no way of knowing what he is; Alan doesn’t know it, but Alan can make anyone into almost anything if he’s able to believe in it.

What about everything Mr. Scratch does, that we see in the game? Well, that’s already a part of the story. Alan wrote at least some of the TVs, as this manuscript hints:

It might, however, been based on the memories of what Mr. Scratch told Alan about his adventures in our world, or it was for the drama, it matters little: it is true to the character and the killings are in his nature.

What is totally not the truth borrowed — the day before Alan arrived, because Mr. Scratch’s actions serve as a bread-crumb road. The party leads to the dinner, the keys there — to the hotel, the murder in the hotel leads to the Observatory, threatened and scared Dr. Meadows and the signal lead to the Drive-In Theatre. Everything Mr. Scratch did before Alan made whatever town in Arizona into an overlap and called it Night Springs, was to make a map for Alan to follow. And the three women we encounter have all been in close contact with Mr. Scratch only to have a justification for them to remember the previous loop:

I will return to this, since this is the part where AWAN goes against the other games.

So, let’s finally talk about the iconic suit, ring and dance, shall we? Well, there is not much to say, really; all of those are Alan’s. Mr. Scratch even makes a point in one of the TVs about how much there is of Alan in him:

“I’m not just wearing your face, you know. It goes a lot deeper than that. There’s a lot of you in me. All the best parts. […] I’m just as real as you are. And I’m the improved version. No fears. No doubt. No weaknesses. No self-deception here. I don’t let anything drag me down. I know you like I know myself. I know it bothers you that I’m like this, that I use your name and crawl my way into your life. But I only do it because… I’m better at being you than you ever were!”

Let’s not get into “the best parts” and Mr. Scratch’s understanding of them, but the thing is — he is Alan in every way, just cranked up to 11 and a bit of a serial killer, with nothing to stop him from doing what he wants. Plus a little of group-think. The point is — the base is pure Alan minus all doubts, fears, self-deception and ability to reflect on the actions. Even the violent tendencies are from Alan — as we well know from his history of attacking paparazzi and having the “rep” in the first place. Mr. Scratch even inherited the affections from Alan. Maybe not to the full extent, but those feelings are so strong, even the nature of the dark entity couldn’t fully get rid of them. About Alice he says:

“She’s really beautiful, isn��t she, your wife? Well, our wife, really. Just my wife soon. Don’t worry, I’m not gonna treat her like the others. She’s special. If I wanted her dead, she would be. I’ve been around for a while, now. So talented. You haven’t seen her new work, of course. It takes my breath away. Really, she’s that good. Did you know that I’ve got a wedding ring too? We’re that similar.” “Everything else — doing my thing, getting a bit of quality time with Alice… that’s a little something for me.”

One of his goals, he can’t shut up about, is literally to be with Alice. And were he to do so, I wouldn’t be so sure he would kill her as he promises. With Alan being so fixated on keeping Alice safe, Mr. Scratch might’ve ended up on the same thing. Because there is so much Alan in him. So much, actually; even with all the whining about Barry, he admits to liking him as well:

“Aw, I actually kind of like the guy. He’s a plucky little butterball. He plays the clown, that’s a hard road to take.”

So, the ring is Alan’s, the suit is as well Alan’s:

Alan literally wears it in Alice’s movie. With all that we can assume that the dance is also Alan’s. Mr. Scratch doesn’t have his own moves, really; whatever he was before the end of the first game was almost lost. I would bet that the Taken he creates are also very much influenced by Alan’s psyche: his worst fears, his ideas, his experiences. The Splitter is Alan’s understanding that a Taken might be easily defeated with a light and some amount of bullets, but there’s strength in numbers; the Spectre is him being traumatised by the unkindness of raves; the Giant is explained to be borrowed from pulp fiction; the Grenadier is uno-reverse of the chapter from the first game where all Alan had is flashbangs and they worked miracles. Or, of course, our boy Mr. Scratch might have much better imagination, thanks to the connection to Alan; the Dark Presence, becoming Scratch, even managed to write a book because of the same reason. But whatever of these two explanations you like the best, all roads lead to Alan. Not to mention that the manuscripts explaining the diverse Taken were written before Alan even saw them.

I will finish this part on the sad note. Mr. Scratch is dead. He was unalived by Alice’s movie, literally spoiling the ending of the Final Draft. Alice’s love is the piece of the puzzle that Alan needs to destroy Mr. Scratch as well as Scratch. And in both cases it was written, even if Alan himself didn’t understand to full extent of how important Alice’s involvement is or that she was involved at all. Balance Slays the Demon is exactly what we have going on in both endings. But the death of Mr. Scratch is quite telling: he dies in a similar way to how the Taken of this “generation” die: we see the same circle of light on him, that we see every time we burn away the shield, then he dissipates in bright sparks. Much more bright sparks, of course, giving us the clue that he’s in fact, not the average Taken. He is a dark being, he’s not easy to kill even with light and love, he doesn’t just poofs into sparks, he fights till the very last moment. But, alas, in the end he is no more. And I don’t see the way for him to return, although I would love to see more of him.

There are more things about AWAN that I find interesting. The radio is one of them. Each loop we get a different show: first with Barry and the boys of OGoA, second is Eddie Rodman reflecting on how this is one of those nights, when he forgets how long it’s been, and turns into the narrator of Night Springs for a monologue, the last loop gives us a chance to hear the interview with Alice and Serena. The chronological order of the two interviews is given to use for free: Eddie says that he interviewed Barry and the boys before Alice and Serena. We also know that none of them might be in the studio with Eddie the same night Alan is looping: Serena is at the Drive-In theatre that night (and their interview was done at morning anyway) and Barry is in his room as the game starts with him sleeping and ends with him waking up. So, what’s the deal with all those shows then? Well, this has to do with the manuscript of Alan catching radio signals that can pierce the veil between worlds and him wanting to hear his two closest people. The only show that happens the same night is the one where Eddie is talking about how he feels he might’ve been in the studio forever and asks for calls. Therefore, we have the monologue with the Night Springs narrator’s voice there. Eddie was never in the close contact with the forces of the Dark Place, for him the night is just weird, but, you know, not extremely weird; we all have had nights and days like this, when they drag and drag and seem to never end. But for Alan in his loops the radio is a chance to hear how Barry and Alice are doing.

Speaking about Alice. We all know that this version of Return doesn’t work and Alan doesn’t get out of the Dark Place, no matter how he’s sure that he will (he claims that he will deny everything to Dr. Meadows if she were to make this experience public and encourages Serena to find him after all this is over so he could help her with the aftereffects of the close contact with Mr. Scratch), but we have a “movie date”. An overlap in the overlap. I would assume that Alice had a nice dream about Alan and Alan got his little moment of happiness with her. All this taking place before he was pulled back into the Dark Place. And I will talk about this as well later.

So, what about Emma, Rachel and Serena? I believe they remember. Obviously, Emma and Rachel are coping somehow: Emma got the confirmation that there are forces in this world we cannot understand, but she already believed in something like that anyway; Dr. Meadows is probably quite excitedly trying to solve that mystery. But Serena is in a peculiar situation: she saw her friend’s presumably dead husband. Nothing in AWII even hints that she shared this with Alice at the time. Alice herself learnt about the truth of what happened in Bright Falls only in 2017, after the haunting started and she visited the Oldest House. I assume that Serena never told Alice about what happened. I’m yet uncertain about the last recording of Alice’s, where we see the last photographs of hers, but if that happened in the real world, then there is no better candidate to edit all this into the video we see, than Serena. Because we have no newspapers about Alice’s death in the same place her husband died, which would blow up — they are both famous and both died the same way; even the FBI agents that head to Bright Falls are unaware of Alice’s fate. In the real world the circumstances of Alice’s “death” must be hidden: from the public eye and from the authorities as well. The only person that would understand that is Serena, who went through the loops of AWAN. Or this last video was created in the Dark Place and somewhere there, in the area of Cauldron Lake the lone camera still stands on the tripod. It also goes to the question of “when exactly Alice jumped”, since we see no indication that it’s known she’s dead and the PC is stuck in September, it might be that she arrived in Bright Falls not long before the beginning of the second game and everything that happens in Parliament Tower past the second draft of Initiation happens only in the Dark Place. Just food for thought.

Now, let’s talk about the story and the implications. Especially this manuscript:

This goes into direct contradiction with the first and the second game. Both are loops which Alan manages to forget, being in the closest contact with the powers that can shift reality — he’s literally the one doing the shifts. And there’s no such a thing as immunity to the story if the story demands it, even Anderson’s famous “immunity” is disproven in the second game in front of our eyes. I’ll talk about it in another theory. Yes, we have Cynthia, who remembers even in the second game that Thomas Zane was a poet, but she doesn’t remember the loops: none of them, actually: not from the first game nor from the second game. No one who’s in the story remembers the loops, yet they are the reality changed, and here we have Alan establishing that, securing himself three allies. Does that mean that this manuscript shaped reality in the way that from the moment of AWAN everyone, touched by the powers, will remember? Nope. The thing is: this Return is a finished story and everything in it, considering that it fails to end as Alan wanted it to end, stays in the story. Emma, Rachel and Serena will remember the events of AWAN, but rewrite reality in front of their eyes, they will have nothing to remember about the newest changes. Everything established in this Return works only in this Return; after the story ended with Mr. Scratch’s death, there is no Night Springs, Arizona anymore, there is no such a thing as “awareness of the changes” if the conditions are met, there are no giant spiders, no Taken, maybe even no more thinned reality, that might’ve been there in the first place only because of (Alan’s writing) visiting Old Gods of Asgard, Barry and Alice, whose presence can cause the thinning:

The story ended and the rules established for it to end ended with it. New rules are established in the second game and the story follows them, people who are in the story act accordingly and remember what the story needs them to remember.

That’s not to say that AWAN never happened at all. It did. We have this pretty thing Alice wears in the second game:

Which is certainly from AWAN:

It might even be her attempt to show Alan, before revealing her plunge into the lake, that she remembers, that she knows what really happened; the picture he needs to see. The deer balloon is a further hint and the “horror of caring” is a message too.

We have Writer’s Journey videos where Alan wears the outfit from AWAN, that he clads himself in for comfort. We don’t have Mr. Scratch in the second game, instead we have Scratch (in the loving memory, I insist). All in all, the AWAN story did happen, it just didn’t end as well as it was designed to: Alan didn’t escape.

In fact, it is my belief that everything got worse for Alan when he was slammed back into the Dark Place. He already wrote that getting out in the overlap will be hard, being dragged back, probably, was even worse. You see, in This House of Dreams that certainly takes place after AWAN judging by what he fill the shoebox with, Alan doesn’t do well at all. I have an explanation about which poems are whose — here. The sheer fact that Alan pretends to be Tom Zane screams of him going mad; not like it’s the first or the last time, but I believe, this was the point of desperation great enough for him to write something that might’ve caused 665 to be manifested. The whole theory on 665 is still in the works, but I think AWAN was the blow that started this. He gets back, crashed by the fail (yet another one or the first one), he goes crazy, writing poems and assuming the role of Tom Zane, who helped him in the first game, as a way to cope and then he writes something to summon him. But he doesn’t know that “Zane” he encountered is the Bright Presence. And here’s the deal with art in the Dark Place: when art goes against art, nothing good comes out of it. We can see it with the poster of a movie from 60’s that is based on a novel by a man who will not be born for a bit less than a decade. But the Dark Place accommodates and thus we have 665, an aspect of Alan, who is surely set to be his own man and get the hell out of the Dark Place no matter the cost. 665 is a sinister being and much more dangerous than Scratch and he, I believe, is about to fill the role of the late Mr. Scratch. The true evil double, who’s much more capable of stealing Alan’s life and identity, who’s already shown he can and is willing to manipulate Alan to achieve his goals, and who can pretend to be on Alan’s side.

And his beautiful face in his leather and lace Oh, can't you see the play he's staging?

[jokertrap-ran]

Disney’s Twisted Wonderland: NRC Magic Assault Practice with Crowley Episode 1- Orientation Translations

“I am Night Raven College’s Headmage, so it is without a doubt that I am strong. Terribly so, in fact, so you’d best be prepared.” *Spoiler free: Translations will remain under cut*

Event EP 1 / Event EP 2 / SSR / Album Lines

Crowley: I see that you have all gathered. I’m happy to see that you’re all here on time.

Crowley: Now then, let’s start your practical training orientation, a compulsory subject that you are required to take… Oh, wait!

Crowley: Hear me out first. I recently went to the town at the foot of the mountain.

Crowley: I’d heard that a store specializing in gibier cuisine had opened there, and I just couldn’t sit still.

Crowley: I waited in line for three hours, and I wasn’t quite sure whether it constituted lunch or dinner by the time I got in, but… I must say, it was very delicious, indeed!

Crowley: Did you know? Gibier refers to the game meet, and as such, comes in many different varieties…

Crowley: If not properly processed, the meat will smell and be too tough. Hence, the art of processing game requires a skilled hand, honed through many years of experience.

Crowley: It also requires a lot of spontaneous decision-making on the spot, so this skill isn’t something that can be learned and attained overnight.

Crowley: What an exquisite art form! Fascinating, wouldn’t you say?

Crowley: …Excuse me, why do you all look so uninterested in what I’m saying? This has to do with all of you as well!

Crowley: It’s important to have the ability to make spontaneous decisions based on experience. This applies to mages as well.

Crowley: And the reason why practical training is a compulsory subject is because actual combat experience is what makes an excellent mage.

Crowley: Therefore, I’d like all students to participate knowing the importance of this lesson.

Crowley: “An all-out magic brawl seems fun.” You’ll be in for a hard time if you think lightly of this class!

Crowley: Ahem… And there you have it. Now then, allow me to explain the basics of this class once more.

Crowley: This practical training class is where you’ll be putting the knowledge and skills you’ve learned in practical magic to use.

Crowley: We will be moving to the Coliseum where a virtual arena has been set up. There, you will all be made to make full use of your abilities, pushing them to their limits.

Crowley: Everything that goes on in there will be monitored, and I will personally judge just how effective your day-to-day studies have been when put into practical use.

Crowley: …Hm? Is there really a need to carry this out in a virtual arena, you say?

Crowley: BUT OF COURSE!!!

Crowley: It is true that past practical training sessions have been held outside of school grounds, such as uninhabited islands or locations that the school has specially rented for the sole purpose of hosting it, but…

Crowley: There have been past incidents of students going missing and taking advantage of the teachers’ blind spots to circumvent supervision!

Crowley: Students dissatisfied with their teachers have also engaged in full-out brawls… In short, it’s more trouble than it’s worth.

Crowley: Huff… huff… Anyway, there’s no longer any need for us to travel that far away from school grounds now.

Crowley: Magical projector tech has greatly improved in recent years, and it has now become possible to virtually recreate areas and enemies alike.

Crowley: With this, we can now cross deserts, forest bathe, and even walk across the ocean floor in the comfort of our own homes. Canceling plans due to bad weather is now a thing of the past!

Crowley: There was many an occasion where we had to postpone it due to sudden storms and blizzards… so we should all be thankful for technological advancements!

Crowley: In any case, since this training is going to be taking place within a virtual arena, you will all be fighting a virtual enemy created by the magical projector.

Crowley: An enemy… modeled after me, Dire Crowley!

Crowley: Taking everyone’s safety into consideration, my virtual clone’s magical abilities have been limited. Although it is a far cry from my original capabilities…

Crowley: I am Night Raven College’s Headmage, so it is without a doubt that I am strong. Terribly so, in fact, so you’d best be prepared.

Crowley: …Heh. I know what everyone’s thinking. “Even with the limit, the hurdle’s still way too high!” …Right?

Crowley: That’s true. However, if you work hard to overcome this hurdle, your efforts will certainly bear fruit.

Crowley: Well then, steel yourself, for practical training is now in session!

Crowley: Now, show me how wonderfully you’ll all overcome the challenges in this special lesson from yours truly!!!

☪⋆ ────── ⋆⋅☆ 𝔗𝔬 𝔟𝔢 𝔠𝔬𝔫𝔱𝔦𝔫𝔲𝔢𝔡 ☆⋅⋆ ────── ☪⋆

[gabessquishytum]

When Hob put in notice of his let's call it retirement, resignation if you will, he wasn't expecting a "good" reaction from his employers.

Hob was an assassin, one of the best in the game, one of the most successful for his employers, why would they be happy to have him quit.

So he made it big (there might have been a few bombs) and he might have taken out an information hub, then he found an off the grid tropical island to relax and do nothing but (badly) fish.

He hoped they would just let him go after his loud exit, but didn't have high hopes. The first few guys they sent were, well, not that good, which honestly, was great for Hob.....he only got a little beat up and could deal easy.

Then they sent The Sandman. Hob, privately, he was the absolute best - not that he would tell the stuck up (fantastic lay) to his face. They had one steamy night when the company double booked a job, all they could do at the time was wait for new orders -- they spent it working out their frustrations with each others bodies. It. Was. Glorious. By the time Hob let himself fall asleep, he knew every inch of The Sandman's, Dream's body and that only made him hungrier.

When he woke up the next morning, Dream was gone and the job was done. Hob didn't want to think his heart was broken, but it totally was. Hob wouldn't admit it to anyone, but losing even the chance to fight for more of Dream's time because of the job was part of why he lost the taste for it. He should be allowed to find happiness; Dream should be able to find happiness, even if it wasn't with Hob.

Then Dream disappeared and any information Hob could find listed him as captured or KIA - a job gone bad. Hob really was heart broken then,,,,it was time to go.

Seeing Dream walk into Hob's local dive bar was a shock. He had a few new scars, ones that Hob can see and probably many more that Hob could not see, covered by clothes; he looked like he went through hell. All Hob wanted to do was hold him..........but he was prepared to fight for his life if he had to; and he hoped that Dream would let him save him too. It couldn't be to late to save them both, it just couldn't!

*

*

*

*

Hob wins, of course he does -- Dream wants him, just as much as Hob wants Dream...... and for a while they get to live their best (loving) lives, when the company sends the Corinthian to get both of them.

This really, really made me think of one of my favourite movies, the latest James Bond film - No Time To Die. James goes off to "retire" in the Caribbean and live his best life until he runs into the woman who is essentially his replacement. Just the scene where they go to the bedroom, James thinks it's gonna get sexy and she whips of her wig??? Iconic, I can totally see Dream doing that.

And I love the idea of Dream showing up to kill Hob, but instead ends up getting persuaded into a romantic entanglement and a lot of steamy sex on the beach. Each time Dream reaches for his gun, Hob gives him a reason to postpone until later (mainly by sucking Dream’s soul out through his cock, until he's forced to admit that he doesn't really want to kill Hob at all). If they do get into some kind of fight, it's definitely more homoerotic than deadly. All that grappling is just an excuse to squeeze the hoboobies.

The Corinthian is quite peeved when he shows up and Hob more or less just says "Look, you can try to kill us, or you can have a lot of gay sex with us and then move to the island next door so the company cant get you." The Corinthian would quite like to have gay sex AND kill them, and he doesn't appreciate being forced to choose. At the end of the day though, it's two against one.

The company keeps sending assassins. Dream and Hob treat them like anniversary gifts. And continue having as much gay sex as possible while they're still alive and well <3

[esteemed-excellency]

what are hiram's aims as a player of the great game? (thinking about whether he and briar would get on...)

Hiram's main goal is to save as many people as possible from disaster. On the short run, his priority is to prevent another Fall. On the long run, a reckoning has to be postponed. To do so, he needs to keep tabs on a lot of different disaster-inducing entities, counteract their influence, and plan his own Tragedy Procedures trying to be at least three steps ahead of everyone in a cosmic chess match. He's been doing it for years, and after all this time he trusts no one but himself to see the bigger picture and decide whether the ends justify the means.

His agents and revolutionary contacts monitor all the movements of the major players on the surface, while he personally oversees intel at the Foreign Office and Balmoral. He intervenes in person only in Parabola, rarely making big moves.

His role as the Red Knight permits him to keep up appearances as an active player, and enforce the Red Court's reign over Parabola. He doesn't mind losing battles as long as the Chessboard's alignment keeps rotating. He forces every other major player to remain locked in an endless circle of battles and re-matches, continuously tiring them out while he pursues his own goals. The Red Queen knows he's not even loyal to her, but this is exactly why he ended up as the Red Champion.

On a larger scale, he's simultaneously opposing The Beleaguered King on the Chessboard and The Old Man in Vienna. He doesn't actively support the Liberationists, because he believes that everyone should be able to twist and manipulate the Laws to their liking, rather than abolish them completely, but he does support their efforts to oppose the Judgements. He's also always been a supporter of the anti-monarchic revolutionaries in general (after all, he was a young Romantic in the decade following the springtime of nations).

Basically, he's trying to give everyone the means to save themselves, in the most chaotic way possible.