#sorry it ended so abruptly

[thegracelessfaceless]

Sal Fisher Reading Headcanons

Sal will read pretty much anything he can get his hands on

Weird Scifi tales? ✅

Dimestore romances? ✅

Rambling Westerns? ✅

Larry's stereo manuals? ✅

And of course horror ✅✅✅

Sal could read at a very early age, starting picture books in the later part of his terrible twos

Diane noticed him squinting at the pages around four even though the book was within normal viewing range, and she took him to the optometrist

Little Sally was near sighted in one eye and far sighted in his other, making reading a painful experience

He still has to wear glasses to read to this day

When... The incident happened, Sal lost his near sighted eye

And yes, even though Sally is monocular, his glasses have two lenses, but the right side is just regular glass

But I digress

He impressed extended family members by reading to them, and family tested him to make sure he hadn't memorized a few Diane had read to him.

They gave him a chapter book randomly pulled from his abuela's shelves and he not only could read it, but retained basic information from it. Cue impressed family members convinced Sal was a baby genius.

Later on, Sal viewed it as a rite of passage when he was old enough to get his own library card

In fact, the library was the first place Sal hit in Nockfell, after thoroughly exploring the apartments

It's safe to say that Sal is an avid reader

Because he used reading as an escape from the bulk of his childhood

I mean,

He was an only child, with an extended hospital stay, who lost one parent while the other was present but absent at the same time

While Sal WILL read anything, he has his favorites

Authors, or books Sal greatly appreciates, some explained, some not:

Charles Dickens- Sal read A Tale of Two Cities in the hospital after an elderly nurse on her way to lunch, left her book on his nightstand. He really liked the world building, it allowed him to see London without even leaving Jersey. After that, he asked the nurse for more like it and slowly made his way through most of Dickens' works.

HP Lovecraft- Sal can't really tell you how old he was when he found Lovecraft, just that he's been reading his works for a while now. You can thank Todd. He likes how the stories offer almost complete immersion, sometimes down to deciphering old English. The creatures and deities particularly interest Sal, and he's spent countless hours trying to imagine what they look like based off of descriptions in the stories. A few times, when neither Larry or Sal could sleep, Sal has commissioned Larry to sketch out a few of the creatures.

Ray Bradbury- another one from Todd, Sal first read Fahrenheit 451 in a group assignment where he was partnered with Todd and Chug. They decided to just do the literature report on what Todd was currently reading and the rest was history. Sal made short work of the rest of Bradbury's bibliography, his favorites among them being Something Wicked This Way Comes, and Dandelion Wine

Stephen King- actually one of the first authors Sal read, Diane had a few of King's more popular novels. The first one Sal got hold of was Pet Sematary 😶. He found it around age 4, drawn to it because of the mention of pets, which he'd been wanting lately. Granted, Diane had to handle a rough night of nightmares brought on by Kings vivid imagination and descriptors, but this moment was the catalyst for Sal having a love for spooky things.

[puppyeared]

Dear Wormwood PART 1

(slight tw for bright color at the end)

[its-wabby-stuff]

So everyone’s been punching back for @somerandomdudelmao post. If you know, you know, and if you don’t where have you been? And I saw one of the reblog’s today of Casey and Donnie and it got the cogs in my brain running. So here is a potentially possible outcome for the future:

———————

Here’s the thing. Casey knew the fight was over. They had won and the Krang weren’t here anymore. Of course, the entire event hadn’t come without its own consequences. Most of downtown New York had been destroyed. People had been injured and people had died. The government had stepped in to take care of most of the tragedy. And the event itself made international news.

But Casey didn’t care about most of that. He wasn’t even sure what most of it meant, just the ramblings he heard from the family as they recovered. They hadn’t left the lair since that day. They couldn’t afford too. The city was in a state of panic, and all of them had sustained injuries, the worst of which being Leonardo.

He had been asleep for days. It was vital for recovery, Casey knew, but the whole thing made him incredibly nervous. Casey felt like a little kid again, sitting on a chair with his knees up to his chest, just watching him. Donatello rarely left Leo’s side either. His own injuries meant he needed attention, and with Leo out, he had the best medical expertise on the machines they’d hooked him up too. Casey often asked questions, which Donnie was eager to answer. That much was the same.

Casey had long since changed out of his resistance garb, being offered a variety of clothes from each of the boys. He never let go of his mask though. That was much too important to him. Gifts and reminders from all the people he loved most.

He was alone today. With Leo. Donatello had entrusted him with enough information for any sort of emergency. But it meant he was allowed to think. He fiddled with the mask in his hands, tracing the markings he had painted on and the scratches it had received out on the field. He let his legs fall into a cross-cross as he slipped the mask onto his face and turned it on. Uncle Tello had left many tidbits of information, recordings and plans for an eventual future where we had won. Not even in his wild imaginations could he have imagined that future in the past. And now there were a million things Casey wanted answered that weren’t saved on his Uncles little device. He had a favorite file, however. One he’d rewatched a million times before.

“Is it working?” He watched Uncle Tello tilt up the camera. Behind him were all the people he loved: Sensei Leonardo, Master Michelangelo, robotic Uncle Raph, Commander O’Niel, and himself.

“It may be older than us, but it still works,” Uncle Tello replied.

“The little red light is blinking right?” Master Michelangelo flew over, looking at the camera upside down with amazement. Uncle Tello pushed him outta the way.

“Despite its primitive nature, it seems to be completely intact. Nothing askew. It’s quite impressive. Great find, Casey Jones.”

Sensei scooped up the kid and ruffled his hair.

“There’s not much storage space left on the card, so we better make it short and sweet. How about a picture? For my archives.” Everybody gathered close together as the timer started counting down. “Everybody say: Genius Built Apparel rules!!”

The video stopped there. Paused on a picture of all of them together. Casey couldn’t help but let out a couple tears, hidden by the mask. It might have been the apocalypse, but it was familiar and comforting, and here, they had all been happy.

“Am I interrupting something?”

“Unc- Donatello!” Casey looked over, his view still obstructed by the photo paused on his screen. “No, no everything is fine, I was just-“ he pulled his mask off and wiped away whatever remnants of tears he had before he looked up at the turtle who had just entered the room. He didn’t have any of his tech on, using his wooden Bo staff to assist his walking, and his bandages had been covered by the presence of an oversized purple hoodie. Casey stared at him, “reliving old memories. Un- Donnie, are you feeling alright?” Casey stood up, panic ever present on the boys face.

Donnie just gave a perplexing look in response. “Are you?”

“I-“ The Krang are gone, Casey. This isn’t like when Uncle Tello got sick. This isn’t the same. There’s no way the Krang would’ve- could’ve. They couldn’t have. How would they? Tears fell down Casey’s face as he sat back down.

Donnie regretted asking the second he had. He wasn’t any good with this sort of stuff and he had clearly been crying before and now he was crying again. There was something on his mind. “I’ll go get Mikey-“

Casey grabbed Donnie’s hand, and his immediate response was to pull away, but he suppressed the urge when he felt how clammy Casey’s hands were, and how they shook just a little. “Uncle Tello, you- you aren’t going to die, are you?”

Donnie had never heard Casey call him that before. And he said it softly, and nervously, not even looking him in the eyes.

“You think a quarrel with an alien species is enough to get rid of me?”

Casey didn’t say anything. In fact what Donnie said didn’t seem to help the situation any at all. And Donnie was starting to put all the little pieces together. Something had happened to him in the future. Something not good.

“Casey, did something happen to me in the future? Did-“ he wasn’t sure if he should ask it but his curiosity took ahold of him, “did I die?”

Casey lurched forward and wrapped his arms around Donnie. Which was a surprising response, but all he needed to know the answer was yes. Despite how quickly it had happened, Casey was incredibly gentle about it. His hands still shook a little as he rested his head into Donnie’s chest.

Honestly, Donnie was a little upset by all this new information. He hadn’t survived the apocalypse, and he had been close to Casey Jones, who had to witness his death. He couldn’t imagine how crazy this entire week had been for Casey. Donnie still wasn’t sure what exactly caused this reaction from him, but slowly, he leaned down, grabbing around Casey’s back and hugging tightly.

Casey let out a breath and hugged tighter, absolutely collapsing, shaking incredibly and crying into Donnie’s favorite purple hoodie. Keep it together, the hoodie can always be washed. For once, Donnie didn’t need to wonder what to do, because this felt like enough. And no words needed to be said.

Only in Casey’s wildest dreams was he able to hug Uncle Tello again. He knew Donnie was never a big fan of physical affection but he’d always seemed to make an exception for him. Old or young, and for a minute it didn’t matter that this wasn’t the Donnie he knew. It didn’t matter that they were now the same age, or that Casey was actually taller. Or how he could feel Donnie loosening and trying to end it. No matter how long this moment was, it would never be long enough.

———————

Ahahaha. I don’t even know. Thanks for reading. Likes and Reblogs appreciated!!

[alasse-earfalas]

Some ideas I have about some of the Links and their brains.

This will not include all of the boys, as most of them (Time, Wind, Twilight, Four, and Hyrule) I see as being in the same basic camp when it comes to smarts and stuff, so there's nothing really for me to address there. I'm just going to point out some interesting quirks I've noticed / hc with the other four.

Warriors

It's easy to jump to the conclusion that Wars is the stupidest Link, since his game has no puzzles. I disagree. While yes, he is laughably terrible with puzzles, he is a strategic and tactical genius with a powerhouse, rapid-fire brain that can parse out an entire battle's worth of information in an instant and come to a decision in a flash. Traditional puzzles may not be his thing, sure, but that is not where his genius lies. His brain thrives on cutting through chaos with decisive action, and that is where he shines.

Sky

Has ADHD (inattentive type). Like, really, really bad inattention. Constantly spaces out and forgets things. There's a reason Fi pops up like, every half-second to remind him what he's supposed to be doing. Hylia knew what she was dealing with and planned accordingly. He is the most space-cadety of space-cadets. He'll be going along like a normal person with a normal train of thought and then he'll see a leaf floating by and completely forget what he's doing because the leaf is pretty and isn't it interesting how it moves with the wind like that and I wonder where it's going hey wait get back here—

But. Sky's mental superpower is that he is the fastest dang learner in the entire Chain. Not just with weapons or items or music like the rest of 'em, but everything. Wild's unable to cook but has all the ingredients for something he's made before? Sky watched how he did it once while helping him dice the veggies, so he'll just throw that meal together real quick. Wild let him flip through the "Ingredients" section of the compendium once, and now Sky can identify all the edible plants it listed by sight. He learned how to carve by watching Jakamar repair a couple of wooden structures one day. Sky may be a space cadet, but he's also the most potently absorbent practical-knowledge and information sponge you ever did meet.

Wild

Also has ADHD (combined type). There are literal "ooo shiny" mechanics in the freaking game. Koroks? ooo shiny. Shrine quests? ooo shiny. Every single item that Wild can pick up in the game literally sparkles. Everything about the Sheikah Slate is designed to account for this: scope pins, map stamps, inventory organization, Hyrule Compendium, Sheikah Sensor, photo album, a journal which he uses to take fastidious detailed notes of all the crap he needs to remember because he knows he'll forget all of it otherwise. He struggles to sit still for extended periods unless he is asleep or gazing into a pretty fire.

Wild is also the creative genius out of the bunch. He has the most robust understanding of fundamental physics out of the entire Chain. His visual thinking and creative problem-solving skills are off the charts. The rest of the Chain may be able to navigate with maps and compasses, but Wild can navigate foreign terrain using nothing but the environment itself. Present him with a problem and he'll think of fifty different ways to address it and all of them will usually work. He is an all-around genius problem solver and astoundingly creative thinker.

Legend

Mind like a freaking. Steel. Trap. Nothing slips past his awareness or gets forgotten. Ever. Journals are pointless because his brain is an information vault. Oh, and any puzzle he's handed better say goodby to its loved ones and make sure its will is in order because this lad will solve it before it has a chance to defend itself.

Let me just, give you an example. Just one. You see this here?

How long do you think you could remember this random character vomit without writing it down? A few minutes, maybe? Maybe a couple hours, or a day or two if you took the time to memorize it?

Try an entire journey to another country after hearing it only once.

Oh, but that's not even the most impressive part! You see, Legend didn't just hang onto one of these memorization nightmares for an entire extended trip to another land, oh no—he remembered several of them. Perfectly. As if that wasn't enough, y'all remember the item swap quests? Yeah, without notes of any kind, this Link remembered who needed what in every single one of those convoluted trading chains. All while he was busy saving the world.

The downside is that Legend's thinking is not very flexible. He operates best when there is a single correct solution to a given problem. He much prefers having concrete information to work with, rather than a vague scenario with a shrug and a, "idk, figure something out". Being dropped into a massive open world with no information other than, "alright here ya go, here's some basic abilities and a light dusting of backstory, now get out there and save the Princess!" would be an overwhelming, anxiety-riddled nightmare for this dude.

[reddamselette]

They laid beneath the stars together, shaded by the grand of trees surrounding the entrance. He listened to the soft breathing below him, a head of blond hair resting on his chest as delicate and gentle fingers traced circles into his clothes yet feeling it tingle in his skin.

It seemed as if time failed to pass, the world stopping its motion and remained dormant in its orbit around the sun, floating along in space with the stars. “Why are you never real?”

His question earned an amused huff and he watched the gorgeous and mesmerizing curls sway and bounce into place as his favorite pair of eyes met his. Blue eyes that held the entire universe and more, sparkling with its own stars and its own spark of electricity. Jason’s hand cupped Leo’s cheek tenderly, sweetly, and so incredibly delicately. “I am real.”

Leo shook his head softly, cupping Jason’s hand with his own as he blew a soft breath and leaned into his touch, briefly closing his eyes as he spoke, “Don’t leave me.”

Jason shifted, moving about until he laid directly between Leo’s legs, his arms folded on his chest comfortably. There was something different in Jason’s eyes. Something that wasn’t quite there if not never there. Leo has seen the look of happiness in Jason’s face, how sadness painted his cheeks beautifully, calm but collected anger that struck his body in flashes. But not once has Leo ever seen the light of peace on Jason’s features.

“Take me with you.” Leo whispered. Begging, his rough and calloused palms cradling Jason’s face and he rubbed his thumbs softly in a motion. Brown irises traced every line, every scar, every strand of blond wavy hair.

Jason hummed in disagreement. His voice as soft as the clouds, light with rain, and not a trace of burden lodged within it. “You know I can’t do that, Firefly.”

[hivequest]

Sprite by @erifin, BG from Befriendus

You had felt your survival instincts had been getting better recently. Really, you did! You took roads that were at least known by trolls more often but still weren't too populated to lower the risks of running into any unsavory types. You didn't throw yourself headlong into every interaction with trolls who were very likely to kill you without at least pausing at the edge of the cliff and thinking "Well this might not be a good idea."

Really any progress was good progress! However, it wasn't enough for some of your friends. Either way, you're getting sidetracked.

The point is you're walking along a beach. Which!! You know isn't the smartest idea you've had but it's not like you didn't put ANY thought into it. You made sure to watch for a long time, checking and checking again to make sure there wasn't anyone hanging around. Not even just the land-dwelling trolls. You kept an eye out the horizon for a while, waiting to see any fishy types appear from the seafoam and bubbles.

Ha. Fishy types.

But there was no one. For a long way in any direction, there wasn't a soul in sight—no one to drag you down into hitherto unknown and dangerous watery depths.

So, you were strolling. It had been a long, long time since you were able to sink your toes in the sand. You knew this wasn't Earth but the sounds of the waves felt as familiar on this planet as they did back home. It felt… nice. Like for once, you were fully able to disconnect yourself from your friendventuring and recharge by doing something that was known to you. You enjoyed Tagora's spa days and lavish self-care but that wasn't something you could afford to do back home. You hated having to budget shit.

And this whole beach was completely abandoned! It was perfect!

You were so wrapped up in boosting your mental health and enjoying the quietude of being alone that you didn't realize that you weren't anymore…

Oh, fuck me.

There was absolutely someone behind you right now, wasn't there.

Trying not to flip the fuck out right away you continued your leisurely stroll, keeping your muscles purposefully untensed. The person, monster, whatever it was stayed right behind you. Its steps matched perfectly with your own to the point that you couldn't even hear it even though it was clearly right behind you.

Shit. Fuck. Piss.

How long had it been following you? How had it gotten so close to you without your human spacial awareness kicking in to say "Hey, Chucklefuck! Someone is creeping up behind you and is getting right up into your personal bubble!"?

You didn't know. And faking nonchalance was getting harder and harder. Why wouldn't it just do something? Kill the rising tension by killing you. Something, anything!

Make a move already!

You whip around to face your impending Bad End head-on when in a fraction of a second all of that fake bravado you just built up vanishes. Swept away by the waves as cold, icy reality stares you straight in the face.

You've crossed paths with seadwellers a few times. Never have they been pleasant experiences. This was worse. A lot worse.

The troll standing in front of you isn't unreasonably tall, but he's bigger than you. The fins and gills you would expect to see on a seadweller are there, obviously, but the thing that really seals the deal is his eyes. They're fuchsia. And staring right at you.

And he looks disgusted by what he sees.

Nothing in your quest for friends could have prepared you for this. Honestly, you were fine with purple bloods being the highest-ranked troll you got to bring into your friendship fold. You doubted being complicit with Polypa murdering a violet blood would do anything to endear you to them you get the distinct impression there's nothing you could say that would endear you to the troll standing in front of you. And he was fucking fuchsia. The top of the top. Part of the brutal climb for the seat of the empire.

"Why the fuck are you here?"

Ah, a very good question! You're right, you tell him. What are you doing here? You shake your head in dismay before trying to leave. You shouldn't be here, so you'll be on your way now!

"Take another step and you'll lose the privilege of having legs."

Yikes.

You choose then to stop and turn back around to look at the boy you just tried unsuccessfully to snub. He doesn't look impressed. He actually looks even more pissed than when you first dared to look at his face. Great! You love that for yourself.

"We asked you a question, you vaguely-shaped sea slug. You will answer Us."

We? Us? You peer around him to see if he has a posse of other fish trolls like that one group you ran into with Karako. But no, it's just him. So he's talking about himself in the third person. Cool. That's cool. And not at all making you feel like your guts have turned into worms from how much of a middle-school edgelord that makes him sound.

But wait. He's a prince, isn't he? Isn't there a royal "we" or something? Isn't that a thing? Huh. And you suppose this guy just takes way too far. Makes sense from what you would expect from someone at the top of the pyramid of the bullshit roles Alternia has.

Also, you still haven't answered this guy's question, Jesus Christ.

Well, you wanted to take a nice leisurely walk on the sand, take in the sights and sounds of the sea and this beach was completely empty so…

You give a little non-committal shrug. You hope the action will convey just how pure your intentions were and just how non-threatening you as an alien were.

His eyes narrow and he just looks more annoyed.

"No one was on the beach because this whole thing is Mine."

Oh, you were trespassing. Cool! Yeah, no wonder he wasn't happy to see you.

You apologize for bumbling your way onto his property. You'll leave if he wants you to. You want him to want you to.

"No. This isn't how this works. You strolled your way onto Our beach. You don't get to fuck off as you please. And either way…"

The moonlight catches on gold and you notice something glinting in his hands that you really should have seen before. He has a fucking trident.

"You're an alien."

This guy will kill you. You can tell that away away, he is not playing any games with you about that. You've been told several times by worried friends that you're cull-on-sight and crossing the path of any highblood who has anything less than the coldest of chills, someone would take your head. And you get the feeling that to a hot pink tyrant trying to prove his worth as a ruler to the powers that be, yours would make a good trophy.

Oh, boy. Now is the time to talk and talk fast.

You know from first-hand experience that just because a troll isn't friendly doesn't mean they aren't friendable. So it's time to do what you do best.

You nod, confirming what he already knows to be true. That's right, you're an alien! He seems to know so much about you already! Has he heard about you from his friends? Or has he seen your legs trending on Chittr? Really, you feel like you're at such a disadvantage here. He knows all about you and you don't even know his name!

His gaze which was so intense and deadly has fully warped into something confused. He doesn't know what to make of you now because of the whirlwind of bullshit you just threw at him. Good! He blinks a few times; god his eyes really are pink, aren't they?

"…Our name is Amante. Amante Belico."

He tilts his head arrogantly and you make a show of bowing in front of him. He seems to like that a lot and you know you have him in your little friendship grasp now. You can feel it. Just need to stroke his ego and you can make it out of this in at least less than ten pieces!

It's an honor to meet him! You haven't encountered an esteemed fuchsiablood before, you thank him for gracing you with his presence.

"We imagine it is an honor. Don't think We don't see what you're doing here. We aren't so crammed up Our own nook We can't tell when someone is trying to stoke Our ego for their own survival."

Oh.

"Unfortunately, it will work on Us."

Hell yes.

Amante leads you down the beach a little ways back in the direction you came from. You think for a moment he's going to let you go but then he turns off the path. You panic for a second and think he's going to lead you into some dark forest and give you a vicious poking with his trident when you see what looks to be… a tea party? A picnic? He has a beautiful gazebo and patio table setup and it looks stocked up with the most decadent finger foods you've seen since you crash-landed on this planet.

You're not even joking. You've since gotten used to the fact that trolls are eating bugs and other gross stuff that you're only putting into your own body because you have to, but Amante's spread? It looks delicious. All fancy cakes with frosting, cookies, and sandwiches shaped like cuttlefish. For someone so pissy he sure has a cute lunch.

As he settles into his chair he lifts a perfect eyebrow as if daring you to say shit about it. You smartly don't and brace yourself to avoid looking at the food in front of you to not annoy your possible new friend holy shit is that a drone.

Why are there always drones?

But this one doesn't look like the others you've seen. It's…. fancier. A lot more gold and decoration than any of the ones you've seen blowing up the homes of children. Even more different than the drones you're used to, instead of trying to maim you it sets a delicate pink plate in front of you, giving you a fork and a teacup which is promptly filled with a flowery tea.

You're… allowed to eat with him?

He gives you another dour look.

"Of course you're going to eat with Us. We're not a fucking animal. We were sitting here when you passed right by like you owned the beach, actually. Which was a surprise to Us, considering you don't and We chose this particular beach to avoid you… land-dwelling types."

He punctuates his disdain with a long sip from his cup. Well, you certainly aren't going to turn down free food! You know you should show restraint and try to impress your cool new friend with well-crafted table manners but honestly… you are not going to get this again on Alternia. So you don't hesitate, bitch.

You pile your tiny plate high with as many frilly confections as you can get your hands on. Then the drone replaces what you've taken with a fresh one, which you then grab. Then that gets replaced so you grab that one. You and the drone are in a stalemate of snack stealing. Drones don't have facial features or any actual emotions as far as you know but you get the feeling that this butler-drone is getting super annoyed with you. You don't care, so you grab another cupcake and stare it down.

Amante just watches. His expression isn't amused or fond or anything that would give you a read on if he found you annoying his butler charming. He's just. Watching. Man, you thought Mallek had intense eyes but this is another level. And… he hardly blinks. He is focused entirely on you and kinda wish that he wasn't cause you are absolutely going to stuff your face in a second.

You at least try to look decent as you begin to eat and. Yeah. Yeah, this is the good stuff.

You gear up to go to town when Amante leans his elbows on the table and rests his chin on his now-interlaced fingers. Wow. His claws are long. And pink. He's all about the pink aesthetic, isn't he?

"We have questions for you, alien. You will answer them for Us, won't you?"

He phrases it like a question but his tone makes it very clear that you don't actually have a choice in the matter. So you nod, prepping for whatever heinous interrogation he's about to throw your way.

"Excellent. You see, We actually have heard about you. Or at least, We have seen your Chittr profile floating around. We didn't think much of it at the time, assuming that you would be handled by some gutter blood wanting to have some power over another life or one of the land-dwelling 'highbloods' would actually do the job we keep them around for and cull you. They've failed in this very basic expectation We held for them."

"Why haven't you been dealt with properly? It's clear that you're being protected and We want to know why and by whom."

Oh wow, he's really upset that you're alive. You can feel his annoyance, see it in the clenching of his jaw and fluttering of his face-fins.

So many people have protected you in your time on Alternia, you wouldn't know where to start! And you also… don't feel super great about giving this classist asshole the names of all your friends. You get the feeling he wouldn't do anything nice for them with that information. This particular fish prince seems more like the stab-first kind of guy and not like he's going to give them a fruit basket for their assistance.

A lot of people have pitched in to make sure you stay alive. You couldn't really give names, the people on this planet have just been so accommodating!

"You're saying that the low bloods are accommodating."

Yeah, he's not buying it.

"Well, if you say that and you really mean it… That's just a shame. For the low bloods, We mean. Because if they've allowed an alien to run around on Alternia unchecked, even worse helped them when they should have alerted the drones or dealt with it themselves…"

His clawed hand rests adoringly on his trident.

"We should have to punish them for their treason, right? Starting with whoever owns that cerulean sign you're wearing."

And just like that, your appetite is gone. It's like someone replaced all the blood in your veins with ice water. Shit. Mallek. You've been wearing his hoodie for so long that it felt normal. You forgot it broadcasted the literal identity of its owner right on the front! And you've been wearing it in front of a royal fuchsia! Why do you always end up doing stupid shit like this you feel like you're going to cry.

All it would take is a snap of his webbed fingers and Mallek's whole block would be leveled by drones. You need to change the topic, fast. You don't want one of your best friends to die because you just tried to take a stroll on the beach of all things.

So you shift forward and ask him why you surviving this long has him so interested. Surely he has better things to do.

"There is plenty We need to do. Our time is very precious but you know what else is even more precious to Us? Our job. We make sure to keep order during Our time before We die to the Empress. So to hear that an alien has been surviving and thriving under Our watch? Not a good feeling."

But still, he has to have hobbies, right? Other than terrorizing every caste without gills and fins, you mean. Has he tried painting? Bone collecting? Scrapbooking?

He leans back into his hair and thinks to himself. The fact that he's thinking about it is a good sign! His mind is getting off of murder!

"We like fashion. We're a trendsetter. Every troll wants to get their sweaty fronds on the things We wear. Some brands are brave enough to ask Us to try on somefin they've designed. If We like it, We'll keep it. Maybe take a shellfie. Then whatever they gave Us will get sold out, and the owner will be happy, We have something We enjoy for the next few weeks before We throw it out. If We don't…"

He grins, wide and sharklike. All roads lead back to murder for this guy, Christ… But he made a fish pun! He's getting more comfortable and loosening up!

He has a great sense of fashion, you say. You haven't seen any troll dressed more expensively at all, his torn-up dress looks like it could be worth more than the hives you've seen. His chest puffs out a little more and you hear a proud… rumbling? Chittering? Is he purring from being complimented?

"We know. If there is one thing We want to do, it's look like the hottest bitch around. We love getting into fights, more than anyone else, but We know We must set a glittering example for those beneath Us. And everyone is beneath Us so We go the extra mile."

Amante leans forward again, his smile a lot less dangerous now. He picks up a delicate little cake between his claws and pops it into his mouth. He notices some cream on his fingertips and without missing a beat he licks it off and-- oh.

He has a gold tongue piercing.

Neat.

You desperately grab one of the cakes from your plate and shove it into your mouth for a distraction. How did you not notice that?

Then again this troll is covered in gold jewelry so maybe it didn't register until you had to notice it. You've seen the piercings trolls have, Mallek has some in places you wouldn't normally see them, like his chest. You probably shouldn't ask Amante if he has chest piercings but now your mind is swirling with all the other places this primadonna could have decorated himself with gold and wow you really need to get your mind out of this rabbit hole fast.

You slam your head on the table, just once. Amante flinches back, eyes wide behind his glasses. Shades?

"What the fuck was that? Are you okay?"

You assure him you're fine, you just needed to derail a dangerous train of thought. He's still looking at you warily.

"Is this the kind of thing you normally do? Is this an alien thing?"

No, this was just a you thing.

"Ah, so you're just a weird little bastard all the time then. You could have lied to Us, you know. It's not like We have any other aliens to use as a reference for whatever you do. If We were in your position We would be making up whatever nonsense We wanted and passing it off as the truth. That just seems funny to Us."

You quietly tuck that idea away into the back of your mind to use later to fuck with someone. Maybe Galekh. That could be funny.

You don't think he would like that, you tell him. You get the feeling that he prefers people just to say whatever they're thinking or doing plainly to his face without sneaking around. He seems like he prefers direct answers to his questions. He hums, actually seeming impressed.

"True. We've seen too many trolls spew bilge out of their squawk gapers these days. And you were smart not to lie to Us. You wouldn't have enjoyed the consequences of that."

Exactly! That's why it was just easier to actually answer his question. Also, you're surprised he would want to play those kinds of pranks on people? Doesn't really seem like his style.

He crosses his arms.

"We were talking about hobbies and stuff, yes? We like to have fun too, you know. Our moirail often plays jokes on Us, though we often struggle to get him back."

Oh! He has a moirail! You… well, you can already guess what kind of person he would have to be to get along with someone who enjoys murdering people who can't defend themselves against him. Still! He has a moirail! He's talking to you about his boyfriend!

You try super casually to ask for more details and he seems to clam up and flush fuchsia.

"That's!! Not really your business! All you need to know is that We get along well with him and you'll probably meet him at some point! If you live that long."

Ah, another threat. This one rolls off of your back like water. For as dangerous as he is and how willing he is to do harm to others you get the feeling you know how to handle him now. Well, in a controlled picnic by the beach setting at least but still, it's something!

You could almost call this side of him charming, with the anxious way he drummed his fingers on the table and refused to look at you. You got the feeling that for as much as he was able to absolutely terrify you and would more than likely do so in the future… there might be something redeemable in there!

Or maybe not. Probably not. He seems pretty set in his murdery way as long as he gets to stay on top.

He isn't the kind of troll you would… choose to be friends with if you weren't under the active threat of being killed by him and you can't introduce him to plenty of your other friends but at least you didn't die!

Good end! (?)

[viensamoimoncher]

Sooooooooo...

I have a lil' theory about why Jacob is worried we'll dislike Louis at the end of this season (S2 discussion spoiler warning)

I think we're going to discover Claudia was the one warning Louis about the Théâtre coven, not the other way around

Louis won't listen to her fears about the coven or Armand, leading to her death just as it happened in the books

Then after Claudia is dead and gone and he is guilt-stricken in the aftermath, he has Armand alter his memories of the event

(Louis may or may not have known of Armand's involvement in her killing. Or at the least, he wasn't aware of the extent of it)

Currently in the show, Santiago is made out to be Claudia's Machiavellian murderer, and I see two possible reasons why:

1) being, Armand has painted Santiago as the villain to absolve himself of the blame

and 2) Louis, some time after Claudia's death / murder, aware as he is in the books that Armand led the charge against her, asks Armand to make him remember a different version of events

(given Jacob is worried how fans will feel about Louis post-s2, my money is on the latter)

In the book, Claudia (to my memory) was the one who was cautious about the Paris coven. She disliked how they went about what they did, the performance of it all. She didn't trust them at all

Just like Louis feels in the show

In the book, it was Louis who wanted to remain in Paris. Louis who didn't believe Armand or the coven were a danger to them. He was too intrigued, enamored even

Just like Claudia is with the coven

[creaturefeaster]

I'm not sure how to word this so forgive me if it sounds odd but would the mimes be considered parasites from a more scientific standpoint? Considering they look for living hosts and such. I hope I conveyed that right I don't want to sound rude ^ ^;

Not quite, but I understand what you're asking.

Mimes can-- but do not need to if they do not want to-- seek out a host that is capable of life, but currently is not alive. Life in this instance means capable of functioning through an energy source, and not alive means not actively receiving the required energy in order to function.

So this includes: the recently but vitally intact deceased as well as animals, dying plants, unpowered electronics, dead but undamaged electrical grids.

I believe from a scientific point of view, they would be participating in some form of forceful mutualism, especially in organic hosts where they prevent further decay of the body by providing energy and reviving dead cells. In return, mimes gain near-complete control of the mind and body of the host, and are the only thing that can ensure the body continues to thrive as intended.

[crybaby-bkg]

sadly and soggily thinking about dating gojo and being so deep in the relationship, that you think you two were made for each other. two peas in a pod, two halves of a whole, two severed souls connecting once more. so perfect for each other that you don’t even think about mentioning marriage and kids, convinced that you guys are already on the same page.

all until it comes up in conversation and things aren’t as perfect as you thought they were. marriage—yes, absolutely, gojo is ecstatic about tying the knot, giving you the wedding of your dreams, calling you his for the rest of you guys’ lives.

but….kids? he’s thought about it and the answer has always been a clear no in his mind. he couldn’t even dream of bringing another him into the universe, fears that it might throw off the balance of the world. that he can’t exist if his child does, but why exist at all if his child’s lesser abilities will only result in them being shunned? of being told how much of a disappointment they are? of being isolated?

and sadly, it’s a breaking point for you. you just wanted one, at least, with your forever partner. and if he can’t give it to you, then he must not be the one for you. you didn’t wanna trap gojo or coerce or manipulate him into giving you the baby you always so selfishly desired, so you leave him.

and how broken does it make him. makes him resent a baby never even conceived or planted, makes him hate what used to be and would have never been.

but…it also makes him think. if his fears would come true, if his hesitance is justified. would he be able to go long lengths to protect his baby? to protect you? would that target his whole family having a weak spot? and is it…is it even worth it at all?

[hephaestuscrew]

Thoughts on the patterns of who speaks the episode title phrases in Wolf 359

This analysis is based on the data I gathered in this spreadsheet and summarised with graphs in this post. Basically I've been looking at which character first says the episode title phrase (i.e. the exact words which form the name of that particular episode) in every episode of Wolf 359. Go and look at the spreadsheet if you want more context.

I think we can view the episode title phrases as often expressing the key problem or question of that episode. (I might talk about this in relation to individual examples another time.) Through this lens, the consideration of who speaks the title phrase is about which character gets to frame the key issue of the episode for the listener. This doesn't necessarily mean we are meant to share that character's view of the issue, but it's why I think there is some potentially significant analysis to be done on this topic. (See below the cut...)

The proportion of title phrases said by Eiffel reduces with each season. 69.2% of the Season 1 title phrases are (first) spoken by Eiffel, compared to 46.6% in Season 2, 22.2% in Season 3, and 20% in Season 4.

This is perhaps unsurprising. Eiffel is very much the main perspective character and the primary narrative voice at the start of the series. And, as someone with unusual speech patterns, he is excellent at coining a good memorable title phrase. However, while I'd argue that he never stops being the main protagonist, over the course of the series, the narrative focus broadens away from a singular emphasis on Eiffel's perspective. This perspective shift is reflected in episode titles being spoken by a greater range of characters.

I think the decreasing proportion of Eiffel title phrases also reflects the podcast's shift towards a generally more dramatic rather than comedic tone. While Eiffel is capable of being serious at times, I'd argue that his mode of speech is particularly well suited to generating amusing unusual turns of phrase that work well within a more comedic context (e.g. Succulent Rat-Killing Tar, What's Up Doc?, Bach to the Future). As the stakes become higher and the tone becomes less humorous, characters other than Eiffel, who are more often inclined to take things very seriously, are more likely to speak the title phrases.

There's also just the fact that as we get more characters involved in the action on the Hephaestus, the opportunity to speak the title phrase is spread between more characters.

Although Eiffel is by far and away the most common speaker of title phrases in Season 1, in the first three episodes of the whole show, we get all the characters of that season represented in the title phrases. Minkowski speaks the title phrase in the second episode and Hera does in the third episode - but probably quoting a phrase from Hilbert. This gives us a good early indication that, while Eiffel may be the focal point particularly in this season, this is going to be an ensemble show and all of these characters are going to be significant.

Hilbert's only title phrase is in Ep12 Deep Breaths, in the first stage of his mutiny, arguably the only point in the show where he appears to clearly have the upper hand while acting alone.

After the SI-5 are introduced at the beginning of Season 3, we get five Kepler or Jacobi title phrases in a row, which solidifies the SI-5's presence in the show. It also highlights the fact that the SI-5 have taken over the Hephaestus and are now (at least ostensibly) the ones determining the aims of the Hephaestus mission.

In addition, these patterns might be seen to reflect the shift in the show towards a more conflict-focused tone (related but not identical to the movement away from comedy). While Wolf 359 has always been a show full of conflict, the balance of this conflict shifts with the arrival of the SI-5. For the first team, our protagonists are facing a unified team of antagonists. The potential for violence feels higher, as do the stakes. This might explain why, while we only had one antagonist-spoken title phrase across Seasons 1 and 2 (Hilbert in Ep12 - Lovelace doesn't get a title phrase while she's serving as an antagonist), 44.4% of our Season 3 title phrases are first spoken by antagonists.

The only title phrase spoken by Maxwell is spoken by her in a recording that we hear after her death. This isn't even the only posthumous title phrase spoken from the past in Season 4 - we've got one from Commander Zhang of the Tiamat as well. It's an interesting kind of legacy, an interesting way to emphasize the questions characters leave behind after death, recalling similar themes to those explored in Ep46 Boléro.

[yujeong]

kpanniversary2024, prompt 13: Secrets

He didn't know what compelled him to open the door. It was late; most of the lights were turned off because no one was awake at this hour, especially in this part of the building. There was no point. A waste of energy. He just found himself unable to sleep. It'd been a few days since the coup, with most matters already sorted, but restlessness permeated, as always with him. So, his feet led him here. In Vegas' "room". Kinn was hovering by the entrance, finding himself hesitating to go inside. He took a deep breath to center himself and immediately noticed the smell. It was foul, unpleasant. A mix of antiseptic and the body odor of someone who hadn't bathed in weeks. Realizing Pete - his former bodyguard Pete, his former most trusted person Pete - was the source of it made an uneasy feeling settle in his chest. Moving closer hesitantly, he looked at his face as he was sleeping by Vegas' side and frowned. Somehow, it looked worse; ghostly pale, black skin under his eyes, drool coming out of his half open mouth, his parched lips. He was clutching Vegas' bony hand with more force than seemed possible, and it made Kinn confused, more so than when Pete took off his uniform and left his family. Left him. It also made him wonder: had Kinn looked like that when he had slept alone the night after Porsche had left him as well? Had his face morphed into something this ugly at the sight of Porsche on Vegas' bike, running away from him? If so, Kinn couldn't help but pity the man before him. He couldn't bare to stay in the room anymore. He left with hurried steps, not bothering to close the door behind him. A mistake, Kinn thought. That's what this visit was. A mistake that would remain a secret, and never happen again. (He tried not to think about how he never checked on Vegas' condition, or the reasons behind that choice. This way, he might get some sleep.)

[steddieos]

NEVER GONNA LET YOU (GO) || E || 1,987 || CW: public(ish) dry handjob

when eddie said that this would be their best date yet, steve didn't know what to expect, they had been to some nice restaurants in the seven months they had been official. steve's personal favorite date night was the night eddie had been served too much to drink at a bar and couldn't believe that he was dating steve.

truly, steve didn't expect too much from eddie - he didn't expect much from anybody. he was simply wired that way. his nonchalance was what kept steve's feelings from getting hurt after years of being let down (not so) gently.

granted, there was something different about eddie. there was something that made steve feel safe in a way that he couldn't exactly explain. no previous partner had made steve feel safe before and it was a feeling he could get used to.

here they were in the car, eddie driving and drumming along to the music coming from the radio against the steering wheel, focused on the road in front of them. steve had no clue where they were going and even if he asked, he was met with it's a surprise and you'll see when we get there. it was driving steve insane. when the car finally stopped, steve looked around. there was nothing.

"what, did you take me out here to kill me?" he joked, a halfhearted laugh leaving his mouth.

"oh, shut up," steve didn't even need to look at eddie to know he was smiling. the sticky sweet tone was in his voice.

eddie got out of the car after he'd turned it off, going immediately to the trunk where he had stashed away something steve hadn't seen before they left. he just told steve they were "secret supplies" and told him to mind his own business. steve got out of the car and stretched his arms up in the air, awaiting instructions from the other man. this was his date night and steve wasn't going to make any wrong moves.

"follow me," eddie said, holding his hand out to steve which he accepted graciously. he laced their fingers together and steve thought it was the tightest eddie had ever held his hand.

he couldn't see what eddie had packed in his canvas bag, but he could hear glasses clinking around as they walked through the uneven forest. they walked for what felt like ages through the woods - eddie was shit at holding the flashlight still, so steve took that duty over quickly.

"you're making me seasick," he joked, holding the flashlight steady on their walking path.

finally after a while, eddie stopped steve. he dropped his hand and moved to stand in front of him, a hand on each of his shoulders. "wait here while i set everything up."

eddie disappeared through the brush, leaving steve alone without a flashlight. steve wondered how often he'd been here or if eddie had even ever been where here was before as he watched the faint light of the flashlight bounce around while eddie set up. it was then, without the illumination of the flashlight, that steve noticed just how clear of a night it was. he looked up, noticing that the moon was full and that there wasn't a cloud in the sky. the light from the moon was enough to light up the woods around him.

when eddie returned, he had an even bigger grin on his face than before, motioning for steve to follow him. as they emerged from the thick brush, a field appeared in front of them; it was then that he noticed the blanket laid down with lanterns surrounding it, set up just for the two of them. there was a cooler set in the middle of the basket and even a bottle of wine set out alongside two glasses.

"eddie," steve started on an exhale, a bright grin across his face. "all of this? for me?" he couldn't believe his eyes. of course, when he didn't know what to expect, he wasn't expecting a full-on picnic stargazing date.

"i even bribed your mom into helping me make your favorite dish if you get hungry," eddie said, taking a seat on the picnic blanket. he patted the spot next to him, wanting steve to sit as well. the smile on his face was bright enough to rival the moon's beams.

"eddie," steve sighed, turning the flashlight off after he sat and wrapping his arms around eddie in a big hug. "you didn't have to go through all this trouble just for me."

"it isn't trouble if you're doing it for somebody who means the world to you."

eddie made quick work of pouring them both a glass of steve's favorite shitty, cheap wine and handed steve his glass after playfully stealing a sip from it. "had to make sure it wasn't poisoned," he teased.

steve sipped his wine before tilting his head up towards the sky, marveling again at the stars and the lack of light pollution around them. it was so clear he could see multiple different constellations. "that's the big dipper," he said, pointing straight up above them. "and over there?" he moved where he was pointing. "that's orion's belt."

"i didn't know you cared so much about the stars," eddie lied, reaching out to wrap his arm around steve's shoulder as he looked up. he'd always seen the way steve watched the sky on clear nights when they'd spend time on his roof late at night.

eddie positioned his body just right so that he could pull steve close to him. he adjusted his body so that steve was sitting between his legs, back to his chest. he liked sitting like this and he enjoyed the closeness. steve tilted his head back again, the back of his head resting on eddie's shoulder for support as he looked up at the stars once more.

eddie wrapped his arms around steve's waist, enjoying the closeness between them. he slipped a hand under steve's shirt, brushing his fingertips up and down steve's side just to make him squirm just the littlest bit. he could feel the goosebumps rising. steve's head was tilted back, the back of his head resting on eddie's shoulder as he watched the sky closely just in case he saw a shooting star. after a little while of silence and when both of their glasses of wine were gone, eddie tightened his grip on steve.

eddie's fingers gripped steve's sides, holding him closer to his body. he could hear steve's breath hitch in his throat when he skimmed his fingers from steve's side to his stomach where he hesitated for just a moment before turning his head to kiss steve's temple. he slid his hand down from steve's stomach to the waistband of steve's jeans, pulling at the button but not hard enough to pop it open.

there wasn't a soul around which gave eddie the wicked idea in the first place. maybe the glass of wine went straight to his head or maybe it was just steve. he slid his hand further down, stopping when his palm met steve's bulge in his jeans. when he pressed down, his pressure was met by steve's hips arching up into his touch.

"that's it," he murmured in steve's ear, letting steve grind his hips up into his stilled hand. the whine that left steve's lips was a little obscene, but left eddie wanting to hear more.

his hand pressed down on steve's cock through his jeans while his free hand moved up to rub over steve's left nipple, twisting and pinching to elicit groans and whines from steve's mouth. eddie took his hand from steve's crotch, making quick work of the zipper and button of his jeans. he pulled the material as open as he could with one hand, his other busy scratching red marks into steve's pale chest.

"should we be doing this?" steve didn't actually sound too concerned about the situation, too focused on the electricity in eddie's touches to his skin.

eddie shushed him with a whisper in his ear, "nobody can hear you out here." steve shivered in response to the whisper, paired with eddie's teeth grazing the shell of his ear.

eddie was back to palming steve, this time through his boxers. he could feel steve getting hard beneath his palm, accompanied by steve's desperate hip rocking in an attempt to get more friction.

"easy, big boy," eddie cooed into his ear, his free hand gripping tightly at his side now. steve was sure he was going to end up with fingertip-shaped bruises, which he didn't mind. his grip tightened, voice turning gruff, "stay still, let me do all the work," he ordered.

just like that, steve's hips abruptly stopped, leaving eddie to press down just a little bit harder on his cock. while his nails dug into steve's side, earning another whine, he pulled steve's cock from the split in his boxers.

"fuck," steve whined, turning to press desperate kisses along eddie's jaw and anywhere he could reach from his position between eddie's legs.

"i've got you," eddie soothed, sliding his hand into the slit of steve's boxers and pulling out his cock. his thumb slid over the tip of steve's cock, working steve's nerves as he drew out what steve truly wanted.

when eddie finally decided that steve had had enough torture, he wrapped his hand around the base of steve's cock and gave him a teasing squeeze causing steve's hips to jerk forward involuntarily. he was putty in eddie's hands.

"please," was all eddie needed to hear from steve's lips.

eddie moved his hand up to steve's nipple again, squeezing it harder this time which caused steve to whimper in response, doing his best to be good and keep his hips still. the hand on steve's cock slowly started working up and down to draw out steve's whines. eddie was getting drunk off of the noises steve was making, he couldn't help himself when he tightened his grip just the littlest bit, speeding up his hand.

"that's it," he hummed, watching steve's face the best he could as he moved his hand to play with his other nipple.

his hand still moved on steve's cock, speeding up just a little bit more now. while he didn't do a good job of keeping his hands to himself ever, he also didn't want to ruin the dinner he'd packed for the two of them that was sitting in the picnic basket to the side of them.

"fuck," steve gasped, chewing at his bottom lip. he moved a hand to the back of eddie's hair and tangled his fingers in it, tugging.

"think you can cum like this," eddie groaned, mouthing at steve's jaw again. "cum for me."

steve nodded and took a deep breath, eyes rolling to the back of his head as he focused all of his energy on eddie's request. over the months they'd been together, eddie had gotten good at controlling steve's orgasms, but steve hadn't been tested like this before. hadn't been asked to cum so soon.

he broke eddie's request to stay still, not even thinking about the consequences that would come later, he was too focused on eddie's newest request. finally, he came with a loud whine, his hips jerking as he writhed in eddie's arms.

"there you go," he cooed. "good boy." eddie smirked and held his hand up in front of steve's mouth, "go ahead, clean me up," he ordered.

once steve was finished, eddie moved steve into his lap, letting the other man rest his head on his shoulder as he held him tight. he then started to repeat affirmations on the top of his head.

"i love you," eddie breathed out before freezing. neither of them had said those three words yet and he wasn't sure if steve even felt the same.

[baalzebufo]

One Star, Brighter than the Rest

y'know what. im probably not gonna get around to writing more of this because im lazy but if it sits in my drafts forever nobody will see it so im posting this fic/drabble/thing. THIS IS for my demon gideon au.

Gideon, at the end of his rope, calls Bill to make a deal. But Bill has bigger plans. Much bigger plans.

---

‘I'm finally ready to make a deal.’

The walls of his solitary cell seemed to shift then, as the buzzing in his ears grew into a wild cacophony of laughter. Gideon stumbled backwards away from the chalk sigil on the wall, his vision blurring and swimming as the dream came into being. The crude drawing seemed to pulse, its single eye blinking. Then, a massive beam of light- Gideon shielded his eyes, and the moment his vision returned he was hovering there before him. Bill Cipher.

‘WELL, WELL, WELL! Look who came craaaawling back!’

---

The triangle squinted at him, throwing his hands up and watching the child flinch at his voice. Gideon felt his back pressed against the cold stone wall of his cell. He had no time to respond before Bill sprung forward.

‘Geez, you look haggard, shortstack! What's wrong, the warden giving you trouble again?’ His tone was mocking- his tone was always mocking. ‘One of your prison buddies finally got fed up and try to shank you? Oh, wait, my bad. That’s supposed to happen next week! Haha!’

Gideon swallowed hard. He couldn’t let Bill get to him. He had summoned HIM- he’s the one in control. He wasn't playing second fiddle to Bill, not now, not ever. He balled his hands up into fists and steeled his nerves, stepping forward with his nose in the air.

‘Listen to me, demon! I called you here because I- I want to make a deal!’ He glared up at Bill with an unearned confidence. ‘You messed up my plan last time, but I'm givin’ you one last shot to prove yourself to me! Y'all're gonna break me out of this joint!’

Bill's eye widened then, before he threw himself backwards into the air with laughter. Gideon seethed. His arms shook as he puffed himself up, standing on his toes. ‘Are you LISTENING to me? Do you want to make a deal or not!?’

He grit his teeth until Bill calmed down, wiping a tear from his eye.

‘Ohhh, kid! You're KILLING me here! You’re really killin’ me!’ He shook himself from side to side, tutting disappointedly. ‘I gotta say, your lack of imagination would be funny if it wasn't so sad, Gideon.’

‘My-’ All at once, rage flared up inside him. ‘WHAT?’ He roared, fully ready to throw one of his tiny fists into the ‘face’ of that smug isosceles jerk-

‘Don't you GET IT, KID?’ He hovered down to Gideons level, put one arm around his shoulders and tugged him in close. ‘You got a personal genie right here, and all you wish for is to get outta prison? Did you even READ my entry in that book you had? You’ve got NO idea what I’m capable of, and here you are, askin’ me for something you could do with one lousy prison riot.’

He patted Gideons shoulder softly. ‘Look, I get it! You’re probably just worn out from all that hard prison labor, aren’t ya? Your mushy little human brain isn’t working right! So I'll cut you some slack just this once. After all, we’re buddies, aren’t we? Haha, yeah we are.’

Gideon froze up, pushed himself out of Bills grasp. He squinted- then frowned. What was he getting at, here…?

‘What are you ramblin' about?’

Bill's laugh cut through him again. ‘You gotta think BIG, shortstack. Sure, I could help you outta this jail, or I could give you the power to do it yourself. I could make you just like ME!’ Bill threw wide his arms and little sparkles flew from his palms.

Gideon blinked, his jaw slightly agape. Bill took his stunned silence as an excuse to carry on his pitch.

‘I've been working on something special while you've been away, and I've got it all figured out! I could make you a bona-fide demon, kid! You could get my powers with all the perks. Think about it- getting into the nightmares of everyone who's ever crossed you, tormenting their every waking moment! Phenomenal cosmic power, right?'

'You're basically the perfect candidate, too. I mean, look at you-' He gestured vaguely at Gideon- for once in his life, speechless. 'You're almost crazy enough for it. I mean, hey, I saw that time you nearly gutted Pine Tree with those shears! In front of his sister, no less! That was DE-LUXE, kid. No hesitation. You've got the murderous ambition to really go far.'

'Honestly, you're probably the only person in this lousy town who could HANDLE this kind of power. So hey, just this one time, let me make YOU a deal you can't refuse! Haha!'

Bill blinked at him- ‘Wink!’ and held his hands out wide. If he had a face, Gideon could tell there would be the biggest toothy smile plastered on it. He swallowed.

Bill was dangerous. He knew this much. He knew you should never- ever- trust a demon at it's word. And yet...

‘You're insane.’ He muttered, shaking his head. ‘You can't do that, it- it just ain't possible.’

‘Gideon, REALITY IS AN ILLUSION. What's ‘possible’ is whatever I WANT to be possible!’ Bill drifted, floating upside down as he spoke. ‘I defy the laws of nature just by EXISTING, so who's to say I can't do anything I want? You're talking to a criminally insane triangle, kid! Start BELIEVING. Here, let me help you.’

Bill snapped his fingers, a teal flame shooting up from his hand and forming a portal of sorts- within it, figures started to form. Gideon saw…

He saw himself.

He saw himself laughing. He was wreathed in flame yet somehow still cast in shadow in the middle of a chalk pentagram, his five-pointed star burning bright. Gravity Falls around him lay in ruins. He stood in the burning husk of what was once the Mystery Shack. The Pines lay crumpled, crushed beneath burning timbers. The smell of ash and blood thick in the air.

And hovering before him, as if in a deep fairytale sleep, was Mabel.

Sweet, sweet Mabel.

He saw a vision of his victory. All the power he had ever wanted coursing through his veins. Everyone who had ever slighted him was dead by his hand. And his only love- she was all his, forever.

His vision reached out, took her hand so gently. He could almost feel her hand in his, her skin so… so soft. He hadn't felt it in so long. His hands shook, and he reached out.

And then, the vision erupted back into flames with the click of Bill's fingers.

Gideon stood, spellbound, holding a breath he didn't think he could let go. The teal flames still flickering in the back of his mind.

‘Yup, I knew you'd pick up what I was puttin’ down, kiddo.’ Bill flipped himself upright and straightened his little bow tie.

‘It’s about time you got everything you deserve, isn't it?’

All at once, Gideon seemed to snap out of his stupor. He blinked, shook his head. He took a step back again, swallowing down the lump in his throat. No- no… this had to be too good to be true. The devil was a tempter, he knew this much. But if there was a chance- the smallest chance- that this future could come to pass... He hardened his expression as best he could, trying to gain back his swiped upper hand.

‘But wait.. what would you get outta all of this? There's no way you'd be helpin’ me just outta the ‘goodness of your heart’… if you even have one of those.’

‘HAHA! You got me there!’ Bill swiped at him playfully. ‘But I'll have you know I have at least NINE hearts, and several other heart-adjacent organs! Wanna see?’ He wiggled his fingers before sticking one hand straight down into himself- a horrific CRACK sounded along with a spray of what looked like television static, a horrible thick black something trickling out to the floor down his arm- up to the elbow in his chest. It took all of Gideon's willpower not to scream.

‘Answer the question!’ He snapped. Bill huffed, let his hand flop out of his body- the relief when he didn't drag some sort of horrific organ out was palpable. He brushed himself down, the wound closing as easily as it had appeared.

‘Okay, sheesh! Keep your hair on.’ Bill rolled his eye, leaning forward. ‘Obviously, I wouldn’t do it for free. We can do a trade. I’ve got some stuff I need to finish up in the physical realm, see. So I’d just-’ He mimed jumping with his fingers. ‘- hop on into your body for a bit. Temporary possession.’

‘My body-!?’ Gideon clasped his hands over his heart, realizing his back was pushed against the wall again. Bill wanted to POSSESS him?

‘Yeah! Geez, you look like you’re going to pop an ulcer, kid. You wouldn’t be in it, obviously!’ He scoffed. ‘We take you out, put me in, you get all my powers an’ I get to use your chubby little hands to finish some personal business. I won’t even keep it that long. Think of it like a vacation! And when I’m done with it, you get my powers for keeps. There’s basically no downside!’

Bill floated down to the floor and folded his hands together. He shrugged. 'It's all up to you now, kid.'

Gideon got very quiet. He took in a deep breath, then hopped up to sit on the edge of the metal slab they called a ‘bed’ in here. He fiddled with the fringe of his blanket, chewing on the inside of his cheek in thought. Bill was surprisingly silent as he watched him struggle with this. Then, he hopped up next to him on the cot.

‘Listen to me, Gideon. You've always known you were different, right? I mean, hey. You were born a freak. I get it! I was born a freak in my world, too.' Gideon frowned, but Bill held one hand up to stop him from interrupting.

'I GET it. They only call us freaks 'cause they can't handle that we might be BETTER than them. It happened to me once- now it's happening to you too. They want you to roll over and conform, to bury your head in the sand and be ''normal''. Well, that ain't gonna happen!'

‘And it's because fate had something bigger in store for you. Why do you think you were born different? Why do you think you're so much smarter than everyone else here? Hell- why do you think YOU found that journal in the woods, and not one of the village idiots?'

'It wasn't dumb luck, Gideon. It was fate.' Bills voice grew... darker. More intense. It prickled at the fear response in Gideon's head, and yet... he found himself entranced, somewhat.

'I saw you had potential. I knew you were destined to do more than sell cars, grow old, and die. You could be so much more. So I kept my eye on you until I knew you were ready for it. Now's the time, Gideon. I see EVERYTHING.'

He looked up- Bill was hovering in front of him, now. His eye was glowing with a vision of the void. Within its depths, universes swirled. Galaxies shifted in their positions. And at its heart he could see one star, shining brighter than the rest.

‘And you can see, too. All you need to do is-

shake.

my.

hand.’

He extended his arm forwards, and it erupted in a familiar cold blue flame.

‘And I'll show you.’

…

Gideon swallowed hard. Nothing good would come of this. He was making a pact with a demon. One that had ended poorly, before- how badly would it end THIS time? What if Bill was lying? What if their plans were foiled before completion? What if, what if, what if, part of him repeated.

But the other part of him… the selfish, cold, cruel part of his heart burned brighter than ever. Ever since his amulet and his journal had been taken away and he had been thrown into this cell, he’d felt powerless. He had crawled his way up from being ostracised, weak, and alone to basking in fame and fortune. And then it had all been taken away.

No longer loved, and barely even feared. What did he have in here? A handful of schmucks who gave him their seconds in the mess hall? How long would it be then, until THEY tired of him, too? They’d cast him aside eventually. And then he would have nobody and nothing but a cold, dark cell and a life to regret.

He needed that power back. No- he needed more. He needed enough to wrestle the world back into his hands. To know that all he had to do was will it, and it would be crushed back into stardust.

His eyes were cold. He looked up.

‘It’s a deal.’

He took Bill's hand.

.

.

.

[crossf15]

I knew Dunmeshi was going to have an annoying fanbase when the anime released, but it being co-opted by homophobic lesbians and posers who don't even watch anime/read manga wasn't on my bingo card if I'm being honest.

[braidlottie]

SUIT AND TIE

OLDER!SIDNEY PRESCOTT X FTM TRANS READER

wc: 747

warnings: smut, older!sidney (scre4m), suit kink, handjob, mommy kink, hotel sex, sub!transmalereader, dom!sidney, edging, use of “pretty boy/good boy”, afab language, little bit of aftercare/subspace at the end

you sat in a booth with your coffee in the very back of the coffee shop, looking at sidney from afar. you could barely see her from all the people crowded around her, wanting to get their books signed.

she looked so good, the way her bangs flowed gently across her forehead. you had told her she looked amazing in her dress earlier this morning, the comment making her blush. gale and dewey even came down for her signing, they did not want to miss that.

fans hugged and took pictures with her for about ten more minutes, then sidney came over and told you if was time to go back to the hotel.

-

you sighed and sat at the end of the hotel bed you and your girlfriend shared, untying your shoes and plopping down on the king sized mattress behind you.

“you looked adorable today,” sidney walked out of the bathroom. “you’re wearing the tie i bought you.” you propped yourself up on your elbows. the tie was navy blue, and had tiny yellow ducks all over it.

“and this suit… you wore it just for mommy, didn’t you?” her hand snaked from your shirt collar all the way down to your belt buckle. “my handsome boy. i feel so special.” you groaned, her knee pressing against your aching cunt through your tight slacks.

“i saw you staring earlier today. you looked so embarrassed.”

“j-just wanted you.”

“i see. that’s why you’re probably wet for me right now, isn’t it?”

you tried to hump against her knee, but no avail.

“ahh, ahh. hips down. i’m gonna take my sweet time with you.” she made you scoot back against the headboard, her hand hovering over the wet dot on your pants.

“sid- mommy, please,” you were trembling at this point, you hated when she teased you like this. “please.”

“you want me to touch you, baby boy?” she whispered, making your cheeks heat up. you gulped and nodded, almost taking off the pants yourself. “yes, mommy.”

“yeah? ohh, good boy.” she chuckled at how desperate you were, taking her sweet time unbuckling your belt. she slid your pants and boxers down slightly.

her hand started to stroke you so gently, your moans coming out as wretched mumbles. “oh! please, right there, pleasepleaseplease-”

“you’re such a dirty little slut,” she mocked, playing with you so carelessly, rubbing your swollen clit.

“not so fast,” sidney pulled away, almost making you cry. that burning sensation spreading through your entire body, you felt like you were on fire. your clothes felt so tight, everything was just too much. “be patient, hmm?”

her middle finger slid into you first, then her index, making you gasp in surprise. “damn, baby, i could fit my whole hand in here if it wanted to.”

you whimpered in response, making her coo. “you like that?” she slipped her third finger in, your back arching off the bed.

she busted open your shirt, the buttons flying all around the room. you gasped, never knowing that sidney had the strength for that. “mommy wants to see all of you, pretty boy.”

she kissed right below your belly button, pumping her fingers into you faster. everytime you whispered “gonna cum, m’ gonna cum,” sidney’s hand abruptly stopped, curling her fingers inside you.

eventually she figured you had enough, finally lettting you cum tonight. “i’m gonna count down from 10, okay? then i’ll let you cum, sweetheart.”

“ten.”

“nine.”

“eight, such a good boy.”

you couldn’t take this much longer, squirming around in the bed.

“seven…six… five…”

“fuck, i-i, i can’t, icant,”

“four, three, two…”

“one.” sidney said the last number so sweetly, and you cried out into her neck, your vision blurring white as you made a mess on her hand.

“that’s it,” she helped you ride it out. “keep cumming, sweetheart.”

“oh fuck, sid,” you whispered, hips stuttering.

“yeah, you’re my good boy, aren’t you?”

“yes, fuck yes.”

“say it.”

“i’m- i’m your good boy.” you felt embarrassed until you saw sidney’s smile of reassurance. she loves egging you on like this. “there he is,” she caressed your face, while you came down. “my sweet angel.”

“i didn’t go to hard, did i?” she bit her lip nervously but you assured her that you were just fine. you were mostly non verbal while in subspace, just wanting to curl up next to sidney and let her praise you.

you wished moments like this lasted forever.

[perdvivly]

*@caprice-nisei-enjoyer and David Foster Wallace enter*

CNE: Hey, so I heard you had some takes on the current state of AI?

DFW: You heard?

CNE: On the grapevine, yeah.

...

CNE: Could you share some?

DFW: *hums in consideration*

CNE: If it wouldn't be a bother. No pressure of course.

DFW: Well... It's such a non-specific question. Do I have opinions? Yes, I have opinions, so does the next guy.

CNE: Yeah, but I'm not asking the next guy, I'm asking you.

DFW: Right, but, an issue I'm having is that these issues are important issues. They touch what I think are the very deepest fathoms of the human soul, but talking about them as such comes off as grotesquely pompous.

CNE: Okay, so, inhibitions aside, pretend it's just you and me talking now. What parts of the soul do you think they touch?

DFW: I think the current state of AI is a reflection of certain forms of passivity. Have you seen SORA?

CNE: The new OpenAI model that turns text prompts into video?

DFW: Yeah, exactly. I think there's every chance a person using that doesn't have in mind some particular video they want to create, they have in mind that they don't want to work to make a video and if this tool takes that away from them, so much the better for them right? That's a layer of human drudgery swept away in service of a grander artistic vision.

CNE: Right?

DFW: But, of course, when you start sweeping away all the choices, eventually, without even noticing, you sweep away the artistic process. You've made a video, and you have no idea if it's the video you wanted to make. But it's real now. And there's. There's something perverting in that I think.

CNE: Perverting?

DFW: So, you could make me look like a total jackass if you share this out of context but... I think there's something noble about the human spirit. And I think that nobility has a drive to express itself. And a facet of that expression is in the artistic endeavour. Which is what makes great art so great right? That it's striving to acomplish something bigger than itself. It's part of a conversation. It is communicating and it is communication.

CNE: I do see where you're coming from. But I don't think it's as bad as all that. I think it's a perfectly legitimate use of somebodies time to make silly little videos that don't push an agenda or speak to a purpose, they just make the creator happy. And think of all the people that can do this now that couldn't before. Isn't that worth something?

DFW: Oh yeah, I totally agree with you. There's nothing wrong with it in small doses. If it makes you happy go for it. But it's not nutritionally dense with meaning. If it's the mainstaple of your diet, you're going to die.

CNE: Come on.

DFW: In a real, meaningful way, you're going to die.

CNE: You don't think that people can use it to make meaningful content?

DFW: Oh, I think you could. But I don't think there are very many incentives aligned to push folk in that direction. In fact, I think a lot of the primary incentives we've constructed as a soceity push in quite the opposite direction of living a more meaningful life. And moreover, beyond incentives, you're working against your own pyschology. Like I said, we can do it, but if we do it's against the grain, not with it.

CNE: In what way?

DFW: In the myriad ways it's easier to be a passive observer than an active participant in ones own life and choices. The deep allure of drugs and entertainment are that they offer an escape from choice, from the constant burning ache of being in control of your own life which in many ways is itself hellish. I think this is a very natural extension of that. A slow erosion of the burden of choice--a slow erosion of the possibility of communication.

CNE: I still think there's some vital perspectives that you're missing. I'm delighted to live in a world where people's autonomy is being expanded by the tools they have available to them.

DFW: Right. There's that too of course. Very few things that find widespread adoption are wholly negative. And it's the glimmer of hope that's so pernicious here, that offer of autonomy feels... If it weren't at least partially true, this wouldn't even be an issue right? Nobody would want it. But it is, and it's so easy to look at that and use it as an excuse to justify the lazier parts of our nature.

CNE: Sometimes, perhaps. But sometimes it causes us to confront the lazier parts of our nature and interrogate them! It drives us to a deeper understanding that we didn't have before. Consider the work of Emily Howell.

DFW: The AI developed in the 90s by David Cope to produce classical music?

CNE: Mhm! Put to a blind test, human listeners couldn't tell the difference between the work of Emily Howell and human composers. This dispelled a lot of wrongheaded notions about a spark of human creativity that AI just couldn't capture. It also let a lot of amature composers generate a ton of high quality music for free, for them to study and understand the structural components of!

DFW: Emily Howell is an interesting example. But in my daily life I encounter music in one of three places. First and second, in elevators and shopping malls that play the most mindnumbing muzak you've ever heard, whose sole goal is to get you on autopilot. And thirdly, when I choose to put it on for myself. The times I'd be likely to hear Ms Howell are only in that third category.

CNE: Well. You've given me a lot to think about Mr Wallace! Thank you for this conversation, it means a lot to me. I need to get back to work now.

DFW: Of course. I hope we can talk again soon.

*Both leave*